Death count in hotel rubble climbs to 29

The body of the last known victim of a hotel collapse in Quanzhou, Fujian province, was extracted from the rubble at 11 am on Thursday, bringing the death toll to 29.

Operating since 2016, the Xinjia Hotel had been used as a quarantine site for people infected with the novel coronavirus.

A preliminary investigation found that the hotel was built illegally. It had been renovated and rebuilt several times in violation of regulations, leaving hidden safety hazards.

At around 6:30 pm on Wednesday, the general location of the last missing person in the rubble had been confirmed after 111 hours of searching. Seventy victims had been found earlier. Twenty-six were dead, and two others died later. The latest body was the 29th.

Lin Yuanjun contributed to the story