Rescue workers have been combing through the remains of a collapsed building in the Chinese city of Suzhou. The structure, which housed a hotel, collapsed on Monday, killing at least eight people, with more still missing.
Part of the Siji Kaiyuan Hotel was reduced to rubble on Monday afternoon. At the time of the collapse, most people inside the building were hotel guests, Channel News Asia (CNA) reported. Estimates are that between 20 and 30 people may have been there. By Tuesday, officials had confirmed eight deaths and said search operations for at least nine more people were continuing, according to Chinese state media.
Drone footage from RT’s video agency Ruptly shows a gaping space among other three- to five-story buildings nearby. What looks like a glass roof can be seen in the middle of the ruins, where excavators are operating. Earthquake rescue teams with search dogs have also been involved in the effort, CNA reports.
An investigation has been launched, with preliminary data suggesting unauthorized renovation works might have caused the accident. A load-bearing wall inside the building might have been demolished or otherwise modified, Xinhua news agency is reporting citing local authorities.
The budget hotel had 54 rooms and was relatively new, having opened in 2018. The city of Suzhou, located some 100 kilometers (about 60 miles) from Shanghai on China’s central coast, is a popular tourist destination, known for its canals and 16th-century gardens.
In March of last year, dozens were buried under rubble after a hotel, which was being used at the time as a quarantine site for Covid-19 patients, collapsed in the city of Quanzhou in southeastern China. Earlier this month, China banned future construction of tall skyscrapers and toughened control over lower ones, citing safety concerns.
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