Chances of finding survivors slim

ONE person was pulled out alive yesterday from the rubble of a building that collapsed three days ago in central China, state-run television said, with hopes of finding more survivors fading fast. The commercial building in Changsha city, Hunan province – which housed apartments, a hotel and a cinema – caved in on Friday, sparking a massive rescue effort with hundreds of emergency responders.

State-run CCTV showed images of a person wrapped in a thick white blanket being carried on a stretcher, with yesterday’s recovery taking the total number of people found up to eight in three days. At least 15 people identified by authorities were still trapped in the rubble while no contact has been established with 39 others.

Changsha mayor Zheng Jianxin had initially said the government would “seize the golden 72 hours for rescue”, a window that closed yesterday afternoon. The day before, a seventh survivor was found alive after 50 hours of search and rescue operations.

Police said nine people were detained in connection with the accident. Authorities alleged that surveyors had falsified a safety audit.