REGIONAL> Major News
Factory under construction collapses in Xiamen
By Hu Meidong and Ding Xueping (China Daily Fujian Bureau)
Updated: 2009-08-13 18:36

A factory building fell down suddenly and injured 10 workers on August 11 in the Huli District of Xiamen city, Southeast China's Fujian province. The workers were casting concrete to construct the building's cement floor when the collapse occurred.

"There was no sign before it collapsed. It happened suddenly," the building superintendent said. Construction of the three-story factory started over a month ago and workers began casting the cement floor at 7 a.m. on August 11, according to the superintendent.

The building toppled down unexpectedly just as it was nearing completion, sending the workers tumbling down and crying for help, he added.

Each layer of the factory was 600 to 700 square meters and the ruins show the two cement floors that separated the floors didn't break down during the collapse. Three piles of bagged cement and a cement mixer remain at the scene.

"The place was originally a sewage lagoon full with water hyacinths. They started the construction around April. The workers directly filled the pond with bulldozers. It was officially brought under construction more than a month ago. We live just beside the factory, but we didn't see anyone put foundations for the factory," some residents said.

An investigation team has been set up by the Huli District to find out the cause of the collapse.