China jails 15 people over building collapse that killed dozens

BEIJING: China has jailed 15 people for their roles in a building collapse that killed dozens and sparked a public scandal over construction standards, state media said on Thursday (Oct 17).

In April 2022, a commercial building in the central city of Changsha gave way, leaving more than 50 dead and nine injured.

Authorities later said the structure had been built illegally, sparking an outcry over corruption and laxity in the construction industry.

State broadcaster CCTV said on Thursday that two courts in Changsha had handed down sentences for 15 people involved in the scandal.

They include 11 years in prison for Wu Zhiyong, a resident of the building held partly responsible for the collapse.

Other prison terms included 12 years in prison for the former deputy head of a state-backed municipal water company found guilty of breach of duty and bribery.

A local structural testing company was fined one million yuan ($140,000) and several of its employees were jailed for providing documents falsely declaring the building to be safe.

The court ruled that Wu and others built the property despite having “no construction qualifications” and illegally rented it out to catering and accommodation companies, CCTV reported.

“No effective remedial action was taken” despite the discovery of significant structural hazards, the station said.

He added that the incident “caused heavy casualties and serious economic losses.”

Building collapses are not uncommon in China due to lax safety standards and corruption among enforcers.

Six people were killed and 10 injured when lightning caused a park pavilion to collapse in the eastern city of Changzhou in August. – AFP