China : At least 20 trapped and 3 dead in a building collapse
At least three people died when an explosion caused a building to collapse Friday in the Chinese city of Chongqing, state media reported. Around 20 people were trapped after the explosion.
The blast was caused by a “suspected gas leak” in a canteen and caused a neighbourhood committee building to collapse, trapping people inside, the state-run People’s Daily reported.
The newspaper quoted a merchant in the Wulong District of Chongqing, where the explosion occurred, saying that he suddenly heard an explosive “bang” and saw smokes outside when he was busy in his shop around noon.
Gas leaks and explosions are not uncommon in China, due to weak safety standards and corruption among officials tasked with enforcement.
