At least 4 killed in southern China dormitory collapse

BEIJING (AP) — State media report at least four people have died in the partial collapse of a workers’ dormitory in the southern Chinese province of Jiangxi. The reports say the six-story building housed workers from a local pharmaceutical plant. They say the building was constructed in 1995 mainly out of prefabricated slabs and was considered to be poor quality. China has sought to improve construction quality and industrial safety with the threat of prosecution, but accidents still occur as companies cut corners to save costs. Aging infrastructure is also a growing problem, with gas line explosions a particular threat, along with weak adherence to safety standards for the handling of volatile chemicals.