NEW DELHI, July 18 (Xinhua) -- At least three people were confirmed dead while several others still feared trapped under the debris of a four-storied building that collapsed near the Indian capital late Tuesday night, police said Wednesday.

The incident took place in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh's Greater Noida city, barely 45 km from the national capital.

"The four-storied building collapsed like a pack of cards after an adjacent six-storied under-construction building fell on top of it. So far, three bodies have been pulled out of the debris by rescuers," a police official said.

"Efforts are on to rescue others trapped under the debris. Ambulances have been kept at standby to ferry anyone to nearby hospitals if found alive," he added.

Local TV channels showed footage of rescue operations being carried out by fire brigade and National Disaster Response Force personnel and reported that 18 families lived in the four-storied building.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the local administration chief to keep a tab on the rescue operations and police to help in relief measures.

"Some people are feared trapped in the rubble. Our thoughts are with the families of those who died in the incident," K.P. Maurya, Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, told the media about the building collapse.

Police said that three people have been arrested in connection with the building collapse.

"A probe has been ordered into the incident. They are being interrogated to ascertain the legality of the under-construction building and could be booked for causing deaths in the building collapse," the official added.

Building collapses are common in India mainly because of poor construction practices and lack of regards for basic safety norms.