China: Emergency services search rubble for survivors after deadly restaurant collapse

At least 17 people died when a restaurant in northern China collapsed on Saturday with rescuers pulling dozens of survivors from the rubble and searching for others believed to be trapped. The two-storey building used for banquets came down in the morning in Xiangfen county, in Shanxi province. Xinhua news agency reported that "45 people have been brought out, of which 17 were dead, seven seriously injured and 21 slightly injured."

While the cause of the disaster was not immediately clear. China is no stranger to building collapses and deadly construction accidents. They are typically blamed on the country's rapid growth leading to corner-cutting by builders and the widespread flouting of safety rules.