Building Collapse Killed 53

The 10th and final survivor was pulled from the rubble in China Thursday
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted May 5, 2022 12:37 AM CDT
Updated May 6, 2022 1:31 AM CDT
6 Days After Building Collapse, Survivor Pulled From Rubble
In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, a rescuer works with a rescue dog at the collapse site of a self-constructed residential building in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province Saturday, April 30, 2022.   (Chen Zeguo /Xinhua via AP)

Update: All of the people missing in China's building collapse had been accounted for as of early Friday, and the death toll stands at 53 with 10 survivors pulled from the rubble. All of the survivors are in good condition, the AP reports. Our story from Thursday regarding the last person pulled from the rubble before the search ended follows:

Rescuers in central China have pulled a woman alive from the rubble of a building that partially collapsed almost six days earlier, state media reported Thursday. The unidentified woman is the 10th survivor of the disaster in the city of Changsha, in which at least five people have died and an unknown number, possibly dozens, are still missing. She was rescued shortly after midnight on Thursday, about 132 hours after the rear of the six-story building suddenly caved in on April 29, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. The woman was conscious and advised rescuers on how to pull her out without causing further injury, the AP reports, citing Xinhua. Teams had used dogs and hand tools as well as drones and electronic life detectors in the search.

All the survivors were reportedly in good condition after having been treated in a hospital. Intermittent rain showers in recent days may have increased their chances of survival without food or water. At least nine people have been arrested in relation to the collapse of what Xinhua has described as a “self-built building," including its owner, on suspicion of ignoring building codes or committing other violations. Also held were three people in charge of design and construction and five others who allegedly gave a false safety assessment for a guest house on the building’s fourth to sixth floors. The building also held a residence, a cafe and shops.

(More China stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X