Restaurant owner detained after collapse accident kills 29 in North China

The owner of the restaurant that collapsed in Shanxi province on Saturday, Qi Jianhua, has been detained on suspicion of negligently endangering public safety.

Juxian Restaurant in Shanxi's Xiangfen county collapsed on Saturday, killing 29 and injuring 28, with seven severely injured. The accident occurred while many villagers were attending a birthday banquet for an 80-year-old man.

Shanxi authorities have set up a team to probe the cause of the collapse, which remains unclear.

The Beijing News earlier reported that the building was constructed by villagers and had undergone many expansions over the past 10 years. The major collapsed section was the restaurant's main hall, which was originally a yard with a roof later added.

A rescuer told the Beijing News that the roof was built with prefabricated panels and reinforced with a layer of cement, which was "prone to collapse after a long time". The hall was built 12 years ago, according to villagers.

The accident has raised public concerns over the safety and supervision of privately constructed buildings, especially in rural areas.

The Work Safety Committee of the State Council also announced on Saturday that it would directly supervise the investigation into the accident and urged the provincial government to conduct thorough inspections of all workplaces to root out safety hazards and ensure people's safety.

On Sunday, Shanxi authorities told a news conference that the province would carry out thorough safety inspections across the province on housing construction, including farmhouses, hotels, restaurants and commercial complexes, as well as other venues that host large-scale gatherings, celebrations and exhibitions.