A highway bridge under construction collapsed early Wednesday morning in southwest China's Guizhou Province, killing three workers, injuring 16 others, with one still missing.

The accident took place at about 5:30 AM. Wednesday at the construction site of the Xiaojianshan Bridge, which is part of the highway linking Guiyang and Kaiyang, according to Huang Kejian, chief engineer of the construction unit in charge of the bridge project.

The injured are being treated at the People's Hospital of Kaiyang County and are in stable condition, according to Zhai Yan, vice mayor of Guiyang, adding that rescue teams are still searching for the one missing worker.

More than 40 workers were working at the site when the accident happened. Investigations into the cause of the accident are underway.

In related news, a similar accident occurred in Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province. At least 10 workers were buried alive when a tank under construction at the Qiaodong Sewage Treatment Plant suddenly collapsed around 9:30 PM on Wednesday.

By press time, only three workers had been rescued from under the debris, sources with the rescue headquarters said on Thursday.

An official in charge of affairs related to the construction site said more than 10 workers usually work the night shift, but he did not know the exact number of workers working inside the tank when the accident happened.

The cause of the collapse is being investigated.

(Xinhua News Agency December 15, 2005)