Mosque Collapse Kills 8 in China

(Qinghai Province, China) A mosque being built in northwest China and nearing completion collapsed yesterday, killing at least eight people.

Authorities have ruled out earthquake damage and are investigating a possible support beam failure.

Meanwhile, police have detained a building contractor in connection with the accident, in which a child was among the dead.

"The child was an 8-year-old village boy who was playing around the construction site, when the mosque suddenly collapsed," said Han Lutai, the imam of Xiajiuzhuang Village in Qinghai Province, who raised the fund for the mosque building.

Both Han and the rescuers have confirmed 31 people, all villagers of Hui ethnic group, were at the construction site, when the accident occurred at 5:20 p.m. on Thursday in Taer Town of Datong Hui and Tu Autonomous County.

Seven died at the scene, and one of the four severely injured people taken to hospital died after failing to respond to treatment, said an official with the Qinghai provincial emergency rescue and fire brigade.

Taer town is home to more than 15,000 Muslim ethnic Hui people.