Ye was speaking publicly for the first time since the disaster, after public security officers made him available for questioning by local journalists. Transcripts of Ye's brief interview ran Thursday in the Guangzhou-based New Express News and Yangcheng Evening News.

Ye said he was in the building with his construction contractor and designer when it began to fall. They were investigating complaints by some of the 19 commercial tenants, who managed small shops or restaurants that cracks had appeared in the structure's walls.

In September workers began adding two extra levels to the one-story structure. The weight of the extra floors has been blamed for the collapse.

"We saw that the situation was dangerous," Ye, in his 30s, was quoted as saying. "There were already many people running out of the building. Then we saw a crack in the floor and heard a loud bang. It seemed as if the building were tilting. We rushed out of the building."

Ye looked back to see the whole building was falling over, "My mind was blank. I grabbed my phone to call [emergency services] . . . I saw a woman whose foot had been crushed by flying debris."

"I ran and brought her to safety. Afterwards I went back to find others. By the time the rescue teams arrived I had pulled out five people."

Ye, who has been held in custody since last Saturday for the investigation, said: "I was 100 percent in the wrong. But I feel that others were also wrong. As for what responsibility I should ultimately bear, right now I am not very clear about the situation."

His public appearance was orchestrated by local officials in a bid to defuse mounting criticism of their handling of the rescue operation and subsequent relief work. The lack of transparency has prompted accusations by victims' relatives and local media that the Dongguan and Houjie governments covered up the true number of casualties.

Witnesses estimated that as many as 100 people were trapped in the building and some victims' relatives questioned why the authorities used heavy machinery hours after the accident to excavate the building site when people might still have been buried.

Yesterday, an investigation team led by Guangdong Construction Bureau Director Lao Yingxun arrived in Dongguan to check on all unregistered construction projects.

The China News Service said in less than a day, the team had already found 16 projects that violated safety regulations.

Seven were found to be dangerous and were ordered to stop immediately. The agency said the team would also assist local officials to find out the causes of last Friday's accident.

(China Daily 12/08/2000)