Workers were clearing bricks and debris within the collapsed large pit. Photo by reporter Guo Qian. Two residents narrowly escaped being buried due to a collapse during construction in the Hutong. The incident occurred inside Andingmen, resulting in one person suffering a leg injury. The urban management confirmed that there was a construction permit.
According to reports (news observer Liu Xuan and the Nightline reporting team), at around 9 PM last night, a sudden collapse happened while digging a basement in an old courtyard house located in Yongheng Hutong inside Andingmen. Two residents fell into the pit simultaneously, with one sustaining a leg injury.
At around 10 PM last night, when the reporter arrived at No. 22 Yongheng Hutong, they saw the scene of the collapse: a 4-meter-deep, 10-square-meter large pit. There were nearly 10 workers on-site still working.
"I would have lost my life if I had taken another step forward," said Ms. Zhang, who was still covered in dirt after being examined by the 120 emergency doctors. Because her only passage to the outside world was blocked, she could only describe the incident from across the big pit.
At about 9 PM, Ms. Zhang went to dump garbage at the Hutong entrance as usual. Just as she reached her courtyard gate, the brick floor beneath her feet suddenly sank. With a loud boom, she began to sink.
"The two gates just a step ahead also collapsed, so I quickly curled up my body, and the gates landed just above my head," she said.
Another lady standing near the gate also fell into the pit, with a rebar piercing her leg. Buried halfway in the soil, both women screamed for help. Subsequently, the firefighters from Beixinqiao Fire Station rescued them, and the injured was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment.
● Reporter's Investigation
The Collapse Happened Due to Ongoing Construction, Causing Road Instability
"The road where the collapse happened has been shaky these past few days," said Mr. Li, Ms. Zhang's son, as he took out his camera to capture the scene that endangered his mother.
According to Mr. Li, this pit used to be a courtyard house. Over the past month or so, the house was demolished, and workers were continuously digging underground soil, reportedly to build a 4-meter-deep basement before constructing a new building.
Due to frequent rainstorms in the city over the previous days, Mr. Li noticed some collapses along the edge of the foundation pit and approached the site supervisor to reinforce the edges of the foundation pit. However, the brick road near the courtyard gate still felt unstable when walked upon.
In fact, yesterday afternoon, officials from the Andingmen Urban Management Department and the neighborhood committee had visited the construction site for inspection, but unexpectedly, the collapse happened just a few hours later.
● Statement
Construction Permit Exists; Issues Need to Be Resolved Through Negotiation
The Andingmen Urban Management Team stated that the contractor provided a construction plan license approved by the planning department, approving the development of the residential basement, making the project legal. However, any issues arising from the construction should be resolved through negotiation between the contractor, the injured individuals, and the property owners affected. If disagreements arise, legal avenues can be pursued to resolve disputes.
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