At around 9 a.m. on July 18, in Puxia Village, Cangshan District, Fuzhou, a driver surnamed Li was operating an excavator for protective demolition work on an old building when he was instantly buried by a suddenly collapsing wall. The driver died. The Cangshan District government has intervened in the investigation of the accident.

At around 11 a.m. on July 18, a reporter from Southeast Express arrived at the scene. The excavator was still in the rubble of the collapsed building. The cab was completely crushed, and the long arm of the excavator was buried under the collapsed stones, causing the entire vehicle body to tilt upward.

According to witnesses, the site is located in the central area of Puxia Village, which will be developed into a residential project after protective demolition. At 8:30 a.m. the previous day, two excavators were working at the site, demolishing a four-story brick-concrete single-story house. At around 9 a.m. that day, a wall about 10 meters high on one side of the house suddenly collapsed, instantly burying the excavator. “The person was not dug out until more than half an hour later; the vehicle was covered in blood.” Later, the reporter learned from relevant medical staff at Fuzhou Second Hospital that the driver had already died after being rescued. Relevant police officers from the Gaishan Police Station in Cangshan District said that the driver killed in the accident was 26 years old, a native of Fuqing, and had a wife and children.

Guided by villagers, the reporter came to a project command center 200 meters from the accident site. However, several staff members present at the command center declined to be interviewed by the reporter. Relevant staff of the residential project also said they were unaware of the incident. Later, the reporter learned from relevant departments of the Cangshan District government that several staff members were currently investigating the cause of the accident.