Commercial Building in Shanghai Collapses
Shanghai Building Collapse – Sources – AFP
A commercial building that was under renovation collapsed in Shanghai. Local officials report that the death toll has risen to 10 people
The low-rise building collapsed at around 11:30 am, and construction workers were crushed under piles of wooden beams and concrete pillars. Around 25 people were buried by the rubble. However, it is still not clear whether the ones missing made it or not.
The building is located at Zhaohua Road in Changning district, Shanghai. The government and building owners still did not declare the reason for the collapse and is still under investigation.
The city government social media account stated that the rescue work was already finished. Medical staff also made an effort to treat injured victims. The rescue operation involved around 150 rescuers.
The National Emergency ministry said that the building was used before as a dealership for Dongchi Mercedez-Benz vehicles which closed early this year. However, it was now being re-developed as a mixed site for arts and innovation. It was scheduled to open by the end of May and would house numerous offices, shops, and restaurants.
Journalists who responded at the scene reported that rescue personnel pulled out workers who were covered in dust and blood from the rubble. Around fifteen people were also taken to the hospital to be treated.
According to local residents, there have already been complaints about the building since its construction was carried out all day long and involved restructuring of a huge part of the building. The area was approximately 3,000 square meters and one-third collapsed.
Unfortunately, this is not a new case in China. The country is notorious for collapsing buildings and dangerous construction sites. This is blamed on China’s rapid increase in growth, which prompts the builders to cut corners and not abide by the safety rules.
In 2016, around 20 people were killed when a series of multi-story buildings collapsed in Wenzhou, an eastern Chinese city. The structure was filled with migrant workers.