Madrid Ritz: One dead and 11 injured after scaffolding collapses at luxury hotel undergoing renovation

One person has died and at least 11 others are injured after scaffolding collapsed at the Ritz Hotel in Madrid, where renovations have been under way.

Wrought iron work on the sixth floor of the centrally located luxury hotel collapsed shortly after 4pm local time, the city's emergency services said.

It dragged the internal scaffolding down five stories along with the workers, an official said.

Two of the wounded were hospitalised with serious injuries, while most of the workers were treated for injuries ranging from minor to moderate.

Firefighters rescued three people from the rubble with moderate injuries and were working to recover the body of the deceased worker.

Emergency services tweeted pictures and footage of the scene.

The official said the local Madrid police would be investigating the cause of the collapse, which emergency services called "an occupational accident" in a tweet.

Ambulances and firefighters worked at the scene surrounded by dozens of onlookers, AP reports.

There were no signs of the collapse visible from the exterior of the building.

The Ritz Hotel, located near Spain's parliament and Madrid's famed Prado and Thyssen-Bornemisza museums, had been closed for a full renovation since March.