At least 8 dead in hotel collapse in eastern China

Bejing: Authorities say at least eight people have died and 9 remained missing in a hotel collapse in Suzhou city in eastern China. The hotel building collapsed Monday afternoon, the Suzhou government said.

Rescuers used cranes, ladders, metal cutters and search dogs to look for survivors. Twenty-three people were trapped. Five have been rescued.

The Siji Kaiyuan opened in 2018 and had 54 guest rooms as well as a banquet hall and conference rooms, according to its listing on the travel site Ctrip.

Building collapses or accidents are not uncommon in China, often due to lax construction standards or corruption.