Building collapse in central China kills 53 people | World News
53 people have been confirmed dead after the back part of a six-story building suddenly collapsed in China.
The residential and commercial building was topped off on April 29, and it was initially assumed that five people had died.
But the death toll was updated by the Associated Press early Friday, citing Chinese state media.
Ten people were rescued from the building in Trường Sa City, Hunan Province, and the search operation was halted.
The last survivor was pulled from the rubble on Thursday, five and a half days after the collapse.
The woman spent about 132 hours in the rubble.
The survivors are said to be being treated at the hospital in good condition.
It is thought that rain over the past few days may have helped them survive without food or water.
At least nine people have been arrested on suspicion of ignoring building codes or similar violations.
They include the owner of the building, 3 people in charge of design and construction, and 5 people who are said to have made a false assessment of the safety level for a guest house from the 4th to 6th floors of the building.