The death toll in the wall collapse in the capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which occurred Saturday morning, has increased to 19, local sources said Monday.
On Saturday, the wall collapsed at a construction site in the urban area of the city, and killed 12 people on the spot and wounded over 30 others.
Now, there are still 24 wounded persons receiving treatment in hospital.
Outside the 40-meter-long wall is a morning bazaar along a busy street where customers, vendors and passers-by gather at weekend morning. According to local government officials, the brick wall collapsed because construction workers piled too much clay at the inner side of the wall.
The accident is still under investigation and the suspects have been detained, the source said.
(China Daily 05/15/2001)