Collapsed Building in Changsha: Prefabricated Panels Involved
Among the collapsed buildings in Changsha, the 2025 Chaozong Street shop collapse incident clearly involved prefabricated panel structures, while the April 29, 2022 incident did not mention whether prefabricated panels were involved.
Issues with Prefabricated Panel Structures in the Chaozong Street Incident
In the shop collapse incident on Chaozong Street in Changsha on October 31, 2025, the collapsed building was a two-story structure made of prefabricated panel components. The exterior wall, along with the temporarily erected scaffolding, collapsed entirely, resulting in 2 deaths and 2 injuries. Investigation into the incident revealed that the prefabricated panel building had违规 (non-compliant) behaviors such as holes drilled for renovation and exposed steel bars in the walls, directly weakening the structural stability. Prefabricated panels are installed by splicing, and if the connection joints (such as steel bars and concrete grouting) are damaged, it can easily lead to overall instability. Additionally, the erection of temporary scaffolding may have increased lateral loads, further exacerbating the structural risks.
Current Situation and Safety Hazards of Prefabricated Panel Buildings Nationwide
As of 2026, there are still approximately 18.7 million sets of prefabricated panel residential buildings in urban areas across the country, involving 56 million residents. Among them, more than 60% of the Grade D dilapidated buildings (with overall failure of load-bearing structures) are made of prefabricated panels. These buildings were mostly constructed in the 1980s and 1990s, concentrated in old industrial cities such as Changsha and Wuhan, with some approaching the end of their designed service life (usually 50 years). The safety hazards are mainly reflected in the following aspects:
- Material Aging: Rusting of steel bars and carbonation of concrete in prefabricated panels reduce the load-bearing capacity;
- Structural Modifications: Non-compliant renovations by residents (such as drilling holes and removing walls) damage the original load-bearing system;
- Connection Defects: Rough construction techniques in the early stages and improper treatment of panel joints easily lead to crack propagation.
Supervision and Renovation Directions for Prefabricated Panel Buildings
To address the safety issues of prefabricated panel buildings, the following measures need to be strengthened:
- Regular Inspections: Conduct structural safety assessments of old prefabricated panel buildings, focusing on inspecting connection joints and wall integrity;
- Restrict Renovations: Strictly prohibit random drilling of holes and removal of load-bearing components. Renovations must undergo professional review;
- Promote Renovations: Implement reinforcement or demolition and reconstruction for Grade D dilapidated buildings, giving priority to inclusion in urban renewal plans.
The Chaozong Street incident serves as a wake-up call for the safety of prefabricated panel buildings, highlighting the need to reduce risks through scientific supervision and technological renovations.
