Fifteen individuals have been sentenced to prison in Hunan Province, China, following their involvement in a tragic building collapse that claimed 54 lives in 2022. Among those convicted are the building’s owner and several officials, all found guilty of negligence and other offenses.
According to local courts, the defendants received prison terms ranging from two years and nine months to 12 years. The convictions follow first-instance verdicts, as reported by China Daily.
The disaster occurred on April 29, 2022, in Wangcheng District, Changsha. Following the collapse, which also left nine people injured, the State Council swiftly launched an investigation to determine the causes and hold responsible parties accountable.
Wu Zhiyong, the owner of the collapsed building, was sentenced to 11 years in prison. Court documents revealed that Wu had illegally extended the structure using unqualified workers. The building was then leased for residential and commercial purposes. Despite clear warning signs that the building was unstable, Wu failed to arrange an evacuation, which contributed to the high number of casualties. He was also convicted of conspiring with others to repeatedly damage property.
Zhou Zhengmao, who previously served as deputy head of Wangcheng District, received a 12-year sentence. Zhou was convicted of dereliction of duty and accepting bribes, playing a critical role in allowing the unsafe building to remain in use.
Other individuals sentenced include urban management inspectors, market regulation officials, and employees from a company involved in issuing fraudulent documents for the building’s construction. Testing personnel and shareholders from Hunan Xiangda Engineering Testing Co., Ltd., which produced falsified safety reports for the building, were also among those convicted. The company itself was fined 1 million yuan (approximately $140,400).
The court proceedings were attended by lawmakers, political advisors, and family members of both the victims and the defendants, underscoring the case’s national significance.
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