Nine held over Shanghai building collapse

[dnoblett]

http://www.audiovision.co.uk/images/telegraphLogo.gif

Nine held over Shanghai building collapse

 

The Chinese authorities are holding nine people in connection with the collapse of a 13-storey block of flats, raising fresh questions about corruption and shoddy practices in China's construction industry.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01432/china_1432267c.jpg

A general view of a toppled 13-storey apartment building that buried one worker in Shanghai. Photo: Reuters

 

The collapse at the Lotus Riverside, a complex of 11 residential buildings in Shanghai, early on Saturday morning killed one construction worker and left hundreds of prospective tenants angrily demanding their money back.

 

China's official news agency, Xinhua, said officials were taking "appropriate control measures" against nine people, including the developer, construction contractor and supervisor of the project after it was reported that the company's construction license had expired in 2004.

 

The collapse shocked many in China where construction failures are relatively common in inland areas, but not expected in showcase cities such as Shanghai which will host the 2010 World Expo.

 

On Monday, just two days after the Shanghai collapse, rescuers were searching a river in northeast China after a section of a road bridge gave way, sending seven vehicles into the water below.

 

Local sources said the bridge in Tieli, a city in Heilongjiang province, had been built in 1973 but repaired as recently as 1997.

 

Preliminary investigations found that the Shanghai building fell over after workers began excavating an underground garage for the complex, causing the bank of the river next to the complex to collapse.

 

Hundreds of prospective tenants besieged government offices demanding refunds for apartments in the same complex which they had already purchased for upwards of £40,000 but were now too frightened to live in.

 

China Daily, the state-run newspaper, penned an angry editorial decrying the often corrupt nexus between Chinese property developers and local government officials who depend on property taxes and land sales for a significant proportion of their income.

 

The paper raised fears ¨C expressed by some construction industry insiders in China ¨C that many buildings designed to have a 70-year lifespan "would not stand firm beyond 30 to 40 years" because of corner-cutting during China's rampant construction boom.

 

"It is ironic that such an accident happened in Shanghai ¨C one of the most advanced and international Chinese cities," the paper concluded.

 

"The sheer fact that such a collapse occurred in the country's biggest metropolis should serves as warning to all developers and the authorities to ensure that construction projects do not cut corners and endanger people's lives."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/...g-collapse.html

[Guest Pommey]

http://www.audiovision.co.uk/images/telegraphLogo.gif

Nine held over Shanghai building collapse

 

The Chinese authorities are holding nine people in connection with the collapse of a 13-storey block of flats, raising fresh questions about corruption and shoddy practices in China's construction industry.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01432/china_1432267c.jpg

A general view of a toppled 13-storey apartment building that buried one worker in Shanghai. Photo: Reuters

 

The collapse at the Lotus Riverside, a complex of 11 residential buildings in Shanghai, early on Saturday morning killed one construction worker and left hundreds of prospective tenants angrily demanding their money back.

 

China's official news agency, Xinhua, said officials were taking "appropriate control measures" against nine people, including the developer, construction contractor and supervisor of the project after it was reported that the company's construction license had expired in 2004.

 

The collapse shocked many in China where construction failures are relatively common in inland areas, but not expected in showcase cities such as Shanghai which will host the 2010 World Expo.

 

On Monday, just two days after the Shanghai collapse, rescuers were searching a river in northeast China after a section of a road bridge gave way, sending seven vehicles into the water below.

 

Local sources said the bridge in Tieli, a city in Heilongjiang province, had been built in 1973 but repaired as recently as 1997.

 

Preliminary investigations found that the Shanghai building fell over after workers began excavating an underground garage for the complex, causing the bank of the river next to the complex to collapse.

 

Hundreds of prospective tenants besieged government offices demanding refunds for apartments in the same complex which they had already purchased for upwards of £40,000 but were now too frightened to live in.

 

China Daily, the state-run newspaper, penned an angry editorial decrying the often corrupt nexus between Chinese property developers and local government officials who depend on property taxes and land sales for a significant proportion of their income.

 

The paper raised fears ¨C expressed by some construction industry insiders in China ¨C that many buildings designed to have a 70-year lifespan "would not stand firm beyond 30 to 40 years" because of corner-cutting during China's rampant construction boom.

 

"It is ironic that such an accident happened in Shanghai ¨C one of the most advanced and international Chinese cities," the paper concluded.

 

"The sheer fact that such a collapse occurred in the country's biggest metropolis should serves as warning to all developers and the authorities to ensure that construction projects do not cut corners and endanger people's lives."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/...g-collapse.html

 

 

oops- a true house of cards

[dnoblett]

Got to love it, build a tall building, and THEN dig a big hole next to it's foundation to install build a parking garage. Why not build the below ground structure first?

[GZBILL]

The Chinese authorities are holding nine people in connection with the collapse of a 13-storey block of flats, raising fresh questions about corruption and shoddy practices in China's construction industry.

 

Why am I not surprised?

 

All that's missing now are the freaks crying about how bad the death penalty is.

Edited June 30, 2009 by GZBILL (see edit history)

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

That would have been a helluva ride down if the buildings were occupied.

 

 

They should first tar and feather the idiots that allowed them to build that way, and put them next to the site with a stick up their asses for everyone to see.

[tsap seui]

http://www.audiovision.co.uk/images/telegraphLogo.gif

Nine held over Shanghai building collapse

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01432/china_1432267c.jpg

A general view of a toppled 13-storey apartment building that buried one worker in Shanghai. Photo: Reuters

 

."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/...g-collapse.html

 

Somehow I can picture construction foreman...Cosmo Kramer, watching the building slowly falling over...looking around to see if anyone was paying attention to him, and running off up the sidewalk.

 

GIDDY-UP!!!!

 

tsap seui

[dnoblett]

Some pictures:

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 1, 2009 by dnoblett (see edit history)

[dnoblett]

And a few more:

 

 

 

Edited July 1, 2009 by dnoblett (see edit history)

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

And a few more:

 

 

 

 

 

I don't know what server your using for your pictures (zonaeuropa?). Whatever it is, I cannot view them here in China. Not sure if others can see them or not.

 

Edited July 1, 2009 by dnoblett (see edit history)

[Randy W]

 

 

I don't know what server your using for your pictures (zonaeuropa?). Whatever it is, I cannot view them here in China. Not sure if others can see them or not.

 

 

 

Try here, Jesse

 

http://zonaeuropa.com/200906c.brief.htm#012

[dnoblett]

And a few more:

 

 

 

 

 

I don't know what server your using for your pictures (zonaeuropa?). Whatever it is, I cannot view them here in China. Not sure if others can see them or not.

 

How about now? Copied them to my stash on CFL

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

 

How about now? Copied them to my stash on CFL

 

 

Yes, I can see them now. Great pictures by the way, thanks.

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

 

 

I don't know what server your using for your pictures (zonaeuropa?). Whatever it is, I cannot view them here in China. Not sure if others can see them or not.

 

 

 

Try here, Jesse

 

http://zonaeuropa.com/200906c.brief.htm#012

 

 

That link works. Thanks Randy. Don't know why I couldn't view the other pics.

[Guest jin979]

think some are going to jail

[whome?]

"The paper raised fears ¨C expressed by some construction industry insiders in China ¨C that many buildings designed to have a 70-year lifespan "would not stand firm beyond 30 to 40 years" because of corner-cutting during China's rampant construction boom."

 

 

I am confused .. the preliminary investigation was that improper excavation method caused the building to collapse. It does not mean the building construction itself was poor. No matter how good the building (or how big the person) if you take the legs out from underneath it then it will fall. I am quite impressed that it fell and basically remained intact!

 

However it is quite true when you watch some of the construction here or see some of the steel supports and concrete rebar that there is no doubt some corners being cut.