Survivor found almost 6 days after China building collapse

Rescue workers carry a survivor on a stretcher after a building collapsed in Changsha
Rescue workers carry a survivor on a stretcher after a building collapsed in Changsha
VIA REUTERS
Daniel Keane5 May 2022

Rescuers in central China have pulled a woman alive from the rubble of a building that partially collapsed almost six days ago.

The unidentified woman is the 10th survivor of the disaster in the city of Changsha, in which at least five people have died and dozens are still unaccounted for.

She was rescued shortly after midnight on Thursday – around 132 hours after the rear of the sixth-storey building caved in just after midday last Friday.

The woman was conscious and advised rescuers on how to pull her out without causing further injury, the Xinhua News Agency reported. Teams have used dogs and electronic life detector tools as part of their search.

All the survivors were reportedly in good condition after being treated in hospital, Xinhua said.

Rescue workers work from a crane over the collapsed site
AP

Nine people have been arrested, including the building’s owner, on suspicion of ignoring building regulations or committing other violations.

Another three people in charge of design and construction were also taken into custody while a further five people have been charged with writing a false safety report for the building, Xinhua reported.

Police said the Hunan Xiangda Engineering Testing Company issued the false safety report on April 13.

The building was mostly residential but also held a residence, a cafe and shops.

An increase in the number of collapses of self-built buildings in recent years prompted Chinese President Xi Jinping to call last month for additional checks to uncover structural weaknesses.

Poor adherence to safety standards, including the illegal addition of extra floors and failure to use reinforcing iron bars, is often blamed for the disasters.

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