House collapse in China, more than 60 people trapped and lost contact

According to Channel News Asia, an 8-storey building in Trường Sa city, Hunan province, suddenly collapsed at noon on April 29. It has a restaurant, a guesthouse and a cinema.

The mayor of Trường Sa confirmed to reporters that at least 23 people were trapped in the rubble while 39 others were still out of contact after the accident. Authorities are continuing to assess the situation to better determine the status of those still missing.

The exact number of casualties has not been reported yet. Earlier, local officials said that five people had been rescued from the rubble after search and rescue teams worked through the night at the scene.

The scene of the collapse of an 8-storey building in Trường Sa, Hunan (China) on April 29. Video: AP, South China Post Office Morning

Photos and videos at the scene showed firefighters working to clear debris and building structures, while rescuers repeatedly called names to search for people trapped. Dogs were also brought to the scene to search for victims. Authorities have not yet released the cause of the collapse.

Chinese state media reported that President Xi Jinping ordered the search for the victims at all costs and ordered a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident. Chinese State Councilor Wang Yong was also assigned to lead the inspection team to the scene to inspect and directly direct the search and rescue work.

Building collapses are not uncommon in China, mainly due to weak safety standards and corruption in construction. In January, an explosion suspected of a gas leak collapsed a building in the city of Chongqing, killing 12 people. By June 2021, a gas explosion in a residential area in Shiyan City, Hubei Province also claimed the lives of 25 people.

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