This Aug 29, 2020 photo shows the rescue site of a collapsed restaurant in Xiangfen county of Linfen city, North China's Shanxi province. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Twenty-nine people have been confirmed dead after a village restaurant collapsed Saturday in north China's Shanxi province, local authorities said Sunday. 

The Work Safety Committee of China's State Council will supervise the investigation into the restaurant collapse, the committee said in a statement. 

The accident happened at around 9:40 am when relatives and fellow villagers were attending the birthday party banquet of an 80-year-old person at a restaurant in Chenzhuang village in Xiangfen county, in the city of Linfen, witnesses said. 

Rescuers work at the site of the collapsed restaurant in Xiangfen county of Linfen city. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

The rescue operation ended at 3:45 am on Sunday. At that point, 57 people had been pulled out of the debris of the collapsed two-story building, including the 29 dead, seven severely injured and 21 slightly injured, rescue headquarters said. 

The committee demanded the provincial government of Shanxi to immediately investigate the incident, and the result should be released to the public upon approval by the committee. 

With the help of over 20 large machineries, and sniffer dogs and life detectors, 840 rescuers are trying to locate people in the debris. Earlier they used small tools and bare hands to search for trapped ones. 

Local authorities have also sent more than 100 medical workers with 15 ambulances to the site. 

Top provincial officials have ordered all-out efforts for the rescue operation. Two deputy provincial governors have been sent to the site to coordinate the rescue efforts. 

*With Xinhua inputs