Neighbours’ homes collapse after Chinese official digs huge illegal basement

[Millennium]

Neighbours’ homes collapse after Chinese official digs huge illegal basement

Fifteen people were left homeless after the basement caved in

PUBLISHED : Wednesday, 28 January, 2015, 12:05pm
UPDATED : Wednesday, 28 January, 2015, 4:29pm

Andrea Chen

The ground in the Hou Hai historical area in central Beijing caved in, leaving a 15x5 metre hole. Photo: News.sina.com.cn

A Chinese businessman and city legislator has come under fire after his 18-metre-deep illegal basement caused his neighbours’ houses to collapse.

The ground around Li Baojun’s home near Hou Hai, Xicheng district, in central Beijing caved in on Saturday, bringing with it four houses in a nearby courtyard and leaving a 15x5 metre hole, according to media reports.

No injuries were reported, but 15 people were left homeless.

The collapse, caused by the construction of the illegal basement, brought down four neighbouring houses and left 15 people homeless. Photo: News.sina.com.cn

Initial investigations showed that the construction of an 18-metre-deep illegal basement in other houses in the courtyard, which were certified historical buildings, had caused the collapse. Builders of the basement did not have a permit from the local heritage authorities, a project supervisor, or even an architectural plan to follow, the Beijing Morning Post reported.

Li, a member of the Xuzhou municipal political consultative conference, was found to be the owner of the properties. Li is also president of Haiying Group, a Jiangsu-based private corporation with more than 10 subsidiaries whose businesses range from auto parts manufacturing to advertising, the Beijing Youth Daily reported.

The 18-metre-deep illegal basement being built within historical buildings was not permitted by the authorities. Photo: News.sina.com.cn

Neighbours affected by the collapse said the construction of Li’s illegal basement was halted after he received a warning and was fined by the local authorities in July. But workers blocked up the buildings with steel boards and resumed digging shortly after. The neighbours’ repeated complaints to the urban management office were ignored, they said.

The district government told the Beijing Morning Post that the ground that caved in had since been fixed and the construction site had been shut down. It would file a formal complaint to the Xuzhou political advisory body, it added.

Li has yet to meet the local authorities to discuss compensation for those affected by the collapse. Employees from his company told the Beijing Youth Daily that he was on a business trip and could not be contacted.