Excrement Blast Causes Building Collapse
A man burning waste near a cesspool in China sparked an explosion that injured 15 and toppled a building Saturday (Nov. 22), according to reports.
Three of those injured were treated at a local hospital, state-run media Xinhua news reported.
Four other buildings were also damaged in the accident, police told Xinhua.
Cause of Explosion, Collapse
The unidentified man was said to have been burning waste outside his home in Zhangjiajie city, near a cesspool when the accident occurred.
Police said the flames caused methane gas emanating from the pit to ignite and explode.
Police also noted that the collapsed residential building had been abandoned since 2006.
Further details were unavailable Monday (Nov. 24).
Urbanization in China
“China’s urban infrastructure has often been hastily built with little regard for safety as hundreds of millions of people have moved from the countryside to cities in recent decades,” Agence France-Presse noted in reporting the incident.
Urbanization in China is expected to occur even more rapidly in coming years, as it is a national priority.
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By 2020, China wants to have 60 percent of its people living in cities, up from 53.7 percent. |
The Central Committee of the Communist Party has set a target: By 2020, the country will have 60 percent of its people living in cities, up from 53.7 percent, Xinhua reported in March.
“Domestic demand is the fundamental impetus for China’s development, and the greatest potential for expanding domestic demand lies in urbanization,” according to the report.
To prepare for the influx, China is aware it must expand its urban infrastructure, including building high-speed railways to connect cities with above 500,000 residents.
