9 dead, 55 injured in east China building collapse Photo taken on April 15, 2012 shows the spot of explosion in Longyan City, southeast ...

9 dead, 55 injured in east China building collapse

Photo taken on April 15, 2012 shows the spot of explosion in Longyan City, southeast China's Fujian Province.(Xinhua/Chen Wang)

FUZHOU, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Nine people have been confirmed dead, and 55 others injured, following an explosion-triggered building collapse in east China's Fujian Province on Sunday morning, local authorities said.

A blast ripped through a garage in Daji Village in the Xinluo District of Longyan City at 10:35 a.m., toppling an adjoining residential building, said a statement by the district government.

However, the statement did not verify how many people were in the building when it collapsed.

According to officials and reporters at the site, the collapsed building was part of a four-story residential complex owned by Shubang Coal Mine.

The statement said 36 people had been hospitalized, among whom three were in serious conditions, and another 19 who suffered minor injuries were also under medical treatment.