BEIJING: Chinese authorities have taken several people into custody as part of their investigation into the collapse of a coronavirus quarantine facility that killed at least 28 people.

Officials told reporters Wednesday that preliminary investigations had shown "serious problems exist in the construction, renovation and examination and approval" of the Xinjia Hotel, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

The hotel in the southeastern city of Quanzhou was being used to quarantine suspected coronavirus patients when it came crashing down Saturday night. In addition to the dead, one other person is still missing, while 42 people survived.

Xinhua quoted Quanzhou's Executive Deputy Mayor Hong Ziqiang as saying that "those responsible for the accident have been taken into custody," but gave no details.