Homes in E China collapse, nine buried

Photo taken by cellphone on Feb. 2, 2017 shows rescuers working at the accident site in Wencheng County, Wenzhou City of east China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo/Xinhua)

An estimated nine people were buried in the debris after four residential buildings collapsed Thursday morning in Wenzhou, an industrial city in eastern China's Zhejiang Province, local authorities said.

The victims were from two families, according to sources with the local government in Wencheng County, where the accident occurred around 8 a.m.

The buildings were four to five stories tall and located in Dahui village, Baizhangji township.

After the accident, the city and county governments immediately deployed a joint emergency response team of police officers, firemen and medical workers, but they had made little progress as of 1 p.m.

"The scene is quite chaotic, as if the place had been leveled by an earthquake," a rescuer told Xinhua by telephone. "We have to work very carefully because the wreckages of the ruined buildings are joined to homes still standing."

One of the adjacent homes, he said, was already damaged with a big hole in its outer wall.

Investigators are yet to confirm the cause of the accident, and it has been largely cloudy in Wencheng over the past few days, with no rain, high winds or any extreme weather or geological conditions.

Update: 2 rescued, 7 dead in China home collapse

Two survivors were rescued and seven found dead after a residential building collapsed in Wenzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, local authorities said Friday.

Part of a five-story residential building in Dahui village of Wencheng County collapsed at about 8 a.m. Thursday, burying nine people from two families.

A 63-year-old woman was pulled out from the debris at about 10:40 p.m. Thursday and another female survivor was rescued at about 7 a.m. Friday. Both have been rushed to hospital for medical treatment. The ninth victim buried was found dead at around 10:00 a.m. Friday.

With the help of eight cranes and excavators, more than 400 paramilitary officers, fire fighters, township officials and medical workers have carried out rescue operation.

"The scene is quite chaotic, as if the place was leveled by an earthquake," a rescuer told Xinhua. "We have to work very carefully because the wreckage of the ruined building are joined to homes still standing."

One of the adjacent homes, he said, was already damaged with a big hole in its outer wall.

A total of 58 people living nearby were evacuated to safe places.

Local authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the building collapse.