At least 18 people were killed and 18 others injured on Wednesday when a 80-tonne gantry collapsed on a temporary structure during a thunderstorm in southeast China.
The gantry at a factory in Dongguan City in Guangdong Province fell on the two-storey building made of containers during the thunderstorm, which brought with it winds of up to 100 kmph, said Luo Bin, deputy secretary-general of Dongguan municipal government.
In all, 139 workers were in the building when the mishap happened, said Luo, also the rescue department spokesperson. Eighty-eight of them managed to escape. Of the remaining trapped, 18 died and 18 were being treated at a hospital.
Four of the injured were serious but in stable condition.
The rescue operation has concluded, Xinhua reported.
The factory is owned by the Fourth Harbor Engineering Co Ltd, a subsidiary of China Communications Construction Co Ltd.