31.12.2008

Fatal tower crane collapse in China

At least three people were killed and five injured after a tower crane collapsed on Monday at a construction site in Yongzhou City, Hunan province, central China.

The accident occurred at the Jinsenianhua (Golden Age) real estate project in the Lingling district of Yongzhou City, when the crane fell onto vehicles in the car park of the Hongtaiyang (Red Sun) Hotel.

The local government held an emergency meeting on Monday night and ordered an immediate overhaul of construction safety across the district while suspending the operation of all cranes.

The accident follows the death of 17 construction workers who died on Saturday when a passenger hoist collapsed in Changsha, the capital of Hunan province. 18 men were in the 30 story hoist, which had a maximum capacity of 12.