Death toll in China power plant accident climbs to 74

(REUTERS) Police took 13 people into custody as the death toll in the collapse of a platform under construction at a power plant in eastern China rose to 74, with two others injured, state media said on Friday.

Deadly accidents are relatively common at industrial sites in China, where anger over lax standards is growing. Three decades of swift economic growth have been marred by incidents ranging from mining disasters to factory fires.

State news agency Xinhua said 68 of the 74 dead have been identified so far, with victims ranging in age from 23 to 53.

The accident happened on Thursday morning in Fengcheng, in Jiangxi province, during work on a cooling tower for the coal-fired power plant.

The official China Daily newspaper said the accident happened when a tower crane collapsed, triggering the collapse of the entire construction platform as the night shift was being relieved by the morning shift.

"We will conduct a serious investigation into the cause of the accident and hold those who are responsible accountable," Jiangxi vice governor Li Yihuang was quoted as saying.

The company in charge of the plant, Jiangxi Ganneng Co, said in a stock exchange filing on Thursday it was cooperating with authorities.