Death toll in SE China quarantine hotel collapse rises to 28
Updated 19:05, 11-Mar-2020
CGTN

At least 28 people were killed and scores trapped when a hotel collapsed in Quanzhou City, southeast China's Fujian Province, on Saturday. The collapsed hotel had been transformed into a quarantine facility for those who had close contact with confirmed COVID-19 patients. Here is what we know so far:

Updated at 18:30 BJT

A preliminary investigation found serious problems in the collapsed Xinjia Hotel's construction, reconstruction, examination and approval stages, a local official told the media. Authorities will conduct more investigations into these stages and the reason the hotel was selected as a quarantine facility.

Updated at 13:15 BJT 

As of 12:34 p.m. BJT on Wednesday, a total of 28 people have died. Rescue forces are still racing to save one trapped person.

So far, a total of 70 people have been rescued.

Updated at 11:26 BJT 

As of 11:00 a.m. BJT on Wednesday, a total of 27 people have died, according to authorities. Rescue forces are still racing to save two trapped people. 

Updated at 08:17 BJT, Wednesday 

As of 6:40 a.m. BJT on Wednesday, 26 people have died from the collapse, local media reported. 

As many as 68 people have been rescued, and three people are still trapped under the rubble. 

Updated at 17:16 BJT

At 4:38 p.m. local time, a man was pulled out alive after 68 hours buried under rubble from the collapsed hotel.

This came after a mother and son were rescued on Monday night after 52 hours of being trapped.

Rescuers are still searching for another nine people.

Updated at 10:56 BJT

The death toll from the accident has climbed to 20, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management. 

At least 41 people were injured, and rescuers are still searching for another 10 people.

An initial investigation showed the hotel involved illegal construction work, according to authorities. 

00:58

Updated at 8:00 BJT, Tuesday

As of 6:50 a.m. BJT on Tuesday, 18 people have died from the collapse, local media reported. As many as 59 people have been rescued, and 12 people are still trapped under the rubble.

Updated at 22:30 BJT

Rescuers retrieved another body at 7:44 p.m. BJT on Monday, bringing the death toll to 13. Nineteen others remain trapped.

Updated at 20:16 BJT

Another lifeless body was pulled out of the debris at 6:33 p.m. BJT on Monday, bringing the death toll to 12. Twenty others remain trapped.

Updated at 14:40 BJT, Monday

As of 2:00 p.m. BJT on Monday, a total of 11 people had died, according to authorities. Rescue forces are still racing to rescue 21 trapped people.

Updated at 16:36 BJT

At least 10 people were killed in the hotel collapse, as of 16:00 on Sunday afternoon. A total of 38 people have been hospitalized and rescuers are still searching for 23 others. 

Updated at 13:40 BJT

At least 43 people have been rescued, among them, six people were dead after the hotel collapsed Saturday night, according to local authorities, adding that 36 people have been sent to hospitals for treatment.  

Rescue teams are still searching for the rest of the 28 trapped people. 

Updated at 11:00 BJT

At least 71 people were trapped when the hotel collapsed on Saturday, 42 people have been rescued, among them, four people were dead, and five others injured critically, according to a statement released by the Chinese Ministry of Emergency Management. 

Another nine people have escaped, the statement noted. 

The hotel was being renovated when the incident happened and the owner of the building is under police control.

Updated at 10:20 BJT

Two of the 50 people pulled from under the debris are dead, while rescuers are still searching for survivors, according to local authorities. 

About 70 people were inside the hotel at the time of the incident on Saturday night. 

Updated at 9:00 BJT

At least 48 people have been rescued and China's National Health Commission has dispatched two batches of 18 medical teams to support the local emergency response work. 

The injured people have been sent to four different local hospitals for treatment, according to reports.

Updated at 7:45 BJT, Sunday

A total of 47 people have been rescued so far. Rescue teams are still searching for people possibly trapped under the debris, according to People's Daily.

Rescue experts from the Chinese Ministry of Emergency Management arrived at the scene at 2:30 BJT. 

A child is rescued from the collapsed hotel in Quanzhou City, China, March 8, 2020. /CMG

A child is rescued from the collapsed hotel in Quanzhou City, China, March 8, 2020. /CMG

Updated at 22:57 BJT

The number of rescued people is 35.

A total of 147 emergency staff have been dispatched to the scene. 

Updated at 22:21 BJT

A total of 32 people have been rescued as of 21:50 BJT.

The collapsed Xinjia Hotel had been transformed into a quarantine facility amid the coronavirus outbreak for people who had close contact with confirmed COVID-19 patients, according to People's Daily.

Updated at 21:32 BJT

A total of 28 people have been rescued. 

The hotel collapsed at 19:30 BJT on Saturday, with around 70 people trapped under the rubble, according to local government. 

Updated at 21:00 BJT 

An unknown number of people were trapped after a hotel collapsed in Quanzhou City, southeast China's Fujian Province around 19:30 BJT on Saturday night.

Sixteen people have been rescued from the rubble. Search and rescue work is still underway.