Construction company to pay compensation

Compensation of 1.2 million yuan ($173,500) will be paid to the families of each of the workers killed when a platform collapsed at a power plant construction site in Yichun, Jiangxi province, the construction company said on Sunday.

The collapse killed 74 workers and left two injured.

Hebei Yineng Yanta Construction Co will pay the compensation, as well as burial costs.

According to Xinhua News Agency, more than 500 family members arrived in Yichun to identify the bodies as of midday Sunday. Some families had signed the compensation agreement by afternoon.

Police have completed DNA matches with family members of 34 of the victims.

The tragedy occurred when a crane collapse at about 7 am on Thursday brought down the entire construction platform inside the unfinished cooling tower at the plant.

Police detained 13 people who were responsible for construction of the tower, as part of the inquiry into the incident.

A State Council panel announced on Friday that nationwide inspections would be carried out to prevent similar workplace accidents. Inspectors will check for safety hazards associated with elevated work platforms, cranes and scaffolding.

Rescue crews were withdrawn from the Fengcheng Power Plant site after a final search on Friday morning found no new casualties, the provincial government said.

An investigation of the incident continues.

Earlier reports by Xinhua News Agency said authorities had confirmed the identity of 68 dead workers, ranging in age from 23 to 53.

According to Yichun officials, construction of the plant, which belongs to Jiangxi Ganneng Co, began in July last year and was expected to be completed by early 2018.

The incident is the most serious in China since a landslide at a waste dump in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, buried buildings last year, killing 73 people.