Thirteen people were killed and another seven were injured when an ancient temple in the Garze Tibet Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province, in southwest China, suddenly collapsed last Thursday.
The temple, with a history of more than 200 years, has been in a dangerous condition owing to chronic lack of maintenance. The main pillars had grown rotten and the roof leaked during the rainy season.
The accident took place two days after maintenance work got underway, and the victims were all local people participating in the maintenance work.
It is learned that the seven injured people are now all out of danger after emergency medical treatment.
(Xinhua News Agency 09/08/2001)
