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Xi urges all-out rescue work after central China's building collapse trapped dozens
Updated 23:31, 30-Apr-2022
CGTN
An aerial view of the collapsed building in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, April 29, 2022. /CFP

An aerial view of the collapsed building in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, April 29, 2022. /CFP

Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered all-out efforts to rescue the trapped and injured after an illegally-constructed building collapsed on Friday in Changsha City, capital of Central China's Hunan Province.

At least 39 people were missing, and 23 people were trapped under the rubble, five of whom were rescued and were in stable condition at a hospital.

Rescuers are searching for more survivors and police said they have detained the owner.

An aerial view of the collapsed building in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, April 29, 2022. /CFP

An aerial view of the collapsed building in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, April 29, 2022. /CFP

The eight-story building in Wangcheng District, which has a floor area of about 700 square meters, toppled at Friday noon. It housed a restaurant, a coffee shop, a hotel, and several apartments, according to preliminary investigations.

Following an increase in the number of illegally-constructed building collapses in recent years, Xi said that it is necessary to check on such structures to investigate any hidden dangers and fix them in a timely manner to prevent the occurrence of major accidents.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also said it is necessary to carefully identify the cause of the accident, and hold accountable those responsible in accordance with laws and regulations.

Li urged all local authorities to conduct in-depth investigation and rectification of hidden safety hazards in the construction industry, especially illegally-constructed buildings for business operations.

After the collapse of an illegally-constructed building in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, rescuers are searching for more survivors, April 29, 2022. /CFP

After the collapse of an illegally-constructed building in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, rescuers are searching for more survivors, April 29, 2022. /CFP

The exact cause of the collapse is still under investigation, but it is reported that the tenants had made structural changes to the building.

Huang Ming, minister of emergency management, in a video conference on Saturday morning, called for inspection of work safety to prevent further accidents.

"Related departments should crack down on illegal and irregular building activities such as unauthorized construction and unauthorized alteration of the main structure, to prevent collapses and other similar accidents," said Huang.

On Saturday, Chinese State Councilor Wang Yong led a team to Changsha to guide rescue and emergency response.

(With input from agencies)

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