Russia crane collapse Chinese death toll reaches 5

MOSCOW - One more Chinese was killed after a crane collapsed in Russia's Urals region of Chelyabinsk Monday evening, raising the death toll to five, Chinese Consulate-General in Ekaterinburg said Tuesday.

The accident took place at around 6:00 pm local time (1200 GMT), when the crane's track cracked during its installation, killing five and injuring another five, the Consulate-General told Xinhua, adding that the consulate was seeking ways to help the injured.

The Russian branch of the No 3 Thermal Power Construction Corp of Heilongjiang, a northeastern province of China, confirmed that at least four Chinese were killed and six others were injured, and three of the injured were in "critical condition."

All the injured had been sent to the Troitsk hospital, and an investigation and the relief works were underway, according to the Chinese consulate.

Meanwhile, a criminal case was opened by an independent Russian Investigative Committee on the accident, local media reported.