China: 5 people rescued from building collapse, as President Xi Jinping calls for dozens of people still missing to be found ‘at all costs’ | World News

Five people have been rescued from a partial building collapse in China, but authorities warn dozens more are still missing.

CCTV reported that the six-story building in Trường Sa city partially collapsed on Friday with 23 people inside.

Rescuers in central China have since pulled five people out of the rubble, authorities said on Saturday.

However, they added that 39 other people who were around the site of the building when it toppled were still uncontactable and rescue operations were continuing.

President Xi Jinping issued an order to continue rescuing more victims “at all costs”.

Authorities said at a news conference that five people were rescued in stable condition in a hospital.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the building houses a restaurant, cafe, hotel and several apartments, CCTV reported.

The report added that the tenants had made structural changes to the facility and the exact cause of the collapse was still under investigation.

Following an increase in the number of self-built building collapses in recent years, Xi also said that it is necessary to inspect such structures to investigate any potential hazards and remediate them in time to prevent further damage. prevent major accidents from happening, according to state news agency Xinhua.

The photos show that the front of the building is largely intact, while the rear appears to have collapsed.

The lack of the following safety standards, including the illegal addition of sub-floors and the failure to use reinforcing bars, is often blamed for such disasters.