12 dead in East China shoe factory collapse

Rescuers work at the building collapse site in Daxi Town of Wenling city, East China's Zhejiang province. Jieyu Shoe Factory in Daxi town collapsed Saturday afternoon, when 51 people were working inside. [Photo/IC]

HANGZHOU - Twelve people have been confirmed dead and two remained missing after a shoe factory collapsed in East China's Zhejiang province on Saturday, local government said.

Another 33 were injured in the collapse, four of whom were seriously hurt.

According to the local police, 56 people, including 51 employees of the shoe factory, were in a four-story building in Folong village, Wenling city, that collapsed at around 4 pm Saturday. Nine escaped the accident without injury.

"There was no premonition. I heard a 'bang' and saw the building collapse," 42-year-old worker Yang Zhongkun told Xinhua.

Yang said right after the collapse, water poured down from a large fishing pool built on the roof of the building. Other workers said water leak had been reported before the collapse.

Local authorities dispatched 53 firefighting trucks, 302 rescuers and five sniffer dogs. The cause of the accident is under investigation.