2024 Prefabricated Panel Houses

In 2024, prefabricated panel houses have safety hazards, but not all of them will be demolished. The management approach is mainly based on 'retention, renovation, and demolition,' with only some dangerous houses or those within planning areas being demolished.

Accident Cases Highlight Safety Hazards

Several accidents involving prefabricated panel houses occurred in 2024. On April 11, a prefabricated panel in a house in Fengshou Community, Guanba Town, Zhong County, Chongqing, broke, resulting in 2 deaths and 3 injuries. The cause was excessive temporary load accumulation on the second-floor slab, exceeding the bearing capacity of the prefabricated panel, leading to brittle fracture and collapse of the slab. On May 27, a brick-and-prefabricated-panel structure building, Building 48 in Longyuan Community, Datong Town, Tongling Subdistrict, Anhui Province, collapsed, causing 4 deaths and 1 injury. Although the building underwent old community renovation in 2020, mainly involving exterior wall refurbishment, the victims had reported safety hazards three years prior. Experts initially analyzed that heavy rainfall soaking the foundation might have been the cause of the collapse. These accidents indicate that prefabricated panel houses pose significant safety risks under conditions such as overload and foundation impact.

Demolition Rumors Have Been Debunked

The Chongqing Housing and Urban-Rural Development Commission has debunked the claim that 'all prefabricated panel houses built before 2000 will be demolished in 2024.' This indicates that not all prefabricated panel houses will be demolished in 2024, and a blanket approach cannot be taken.

Official Management Approach: 'Retention, Renovation, and Demolition'

According to the 'Report on the Renovation of Old Urban Residential Communities Nationwide' released by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development in March 2025, there are approximately 18.7 million prefabricated panel residential units nationwide, accounting for 7.3% of the total urban residential units and involving approximately 56 million residents. The official management approach is 'retention, renovation, and demolition,' with the vast majority of houses not being directly demolished. Only those identified as Grade D dangerous houses, i.e., those with severely damaged main structures, and those within major urban planning red lines, such as areas designated for road, subway, or park construction, will be prioritized for demolition. More than 70% will only continue to be used through reinforcement and renovation.