31 Aug
The collapse of a restaurant in China's Shanxi Province has left more than 50 people trapped under the rubble and 29 people dead.
The country's state-run Xinhua news agency said the collapse occurred in Linfen City on Saturday. At the time, local residents reportedly were holding a birthday party at the restaurant.
Local media said 57 people were trapped under the wreckage, 28 of them were rescued, while the others died.
Media reports quoted residents as saying the collapsed building apparently had been expanded every few years.
Video footage from the site shows the entire building completely flattened. Firefighters were seen using heavy machinery in their rescue operations.
Building collapses have been frequently reported in China, and one of the causes is illegal construction.
Local media report that Shanxi authorities will send an investigative team to the site to determine what caused the collapse.
Media reports said authorities will conduct a special inspection at restaurants and hotels across the province and force them to close if they are found to be illegally built.
nhk
