3 dead, 87 injured after bar collapses in South China

NANNING - At least three people were killed and 87 others injured after the roof of a night bar collapsed early Monday morning in the city of Baise, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

As of Monday noon, four people remained trapped. Rescuers, however, equipped with life detectors and search and rescue dogs, have found no signs of life at the site of the accident, said the regional emergency management department.

The bar, with a space of 700 square meters, was located on the top floor of a three-story steel-framed building, in Youjiang District.

Local police and fire departments sent around 260 people to help with rescue efforts after the accident happened at around 1 am Monday.

A total of 90 people had been rescued and sent to the hospital for treatment, the department said.

Three of them died after treatment failed, one is in critical condition and 16 are severely injured, said the department. Of those who were slightly injured, 17 remained in hospital for further observation, and 53 have been discharged from the hospital after wound debridement, it said.

Both the national and regional health authorities have sent medical expert teams to guide treatment of the injured.

Investigation and rescue efforts are still underway.