The six-storey building in Changsha City, China’s Hunan Province, partially collapsed on Friday. The state-run CCTV network reported that the collapse trapped about 23 people inside the building. However, authorities also said that another 39 people who were present around the site of the building when it overturned remained inaccessible and rescue operations were ongoing.
Authorities told a news conference that the five survivors were in stable condition at the hospital.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the building housed a restaurant, a cafe, a hotel and several apartments, CCTV reported.
Residents had made structural changes to the facility and the exact causes of the collapse are still being investigated, the report said.
Rescuers are searching for survivors after the collapse on Friday. (CNS / AFP / Getty Images)
After the increase in the number of self-constructed buildings collapsing in recent years, Xi also said that it is necessary to check such structures to investigate hidden dangers and correct them in time to avoid major accidents, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency. .
The photos showed the front of the building largely intact, while the back seemed to have collapsed.
Poor compliance with safety standards, including the illegal addition of additional floors and the inability to use reinforcing iron bars, is often blamed for such disasters.
An aerial view provides a panoramic view of the building that partially collapsed in Changsha, China’s Hunan Province. (CNS / AFP / Getty Images)
