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Rebiya tower to be demolished over security concern

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-09-08 01:31

URUMQI: The building built and named by Rebiya Kadeer in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, will be demolished as it has serious security risks, local authorities said Monday.

The building has cracks in the wall and its ground has fallen, said an official with the municipal government.

The schedule hasn't been revealed but a notice was sent to vendors in the building by the Akada Industry and Trade Company on July 22.

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The building has also been considered to have fire risks by the firefighting department as wires are old and the fire exits are occupied by vendors as stores, said the official.

Although the municipal government spent a large amount of money to repair the power supply system of the building in 2006, it is still not safe, the official said.

All the vendors in the building will be compensated, the official said.

The building, with more than 500 stores in the four floors and covering 1,720 square meters, was built when Kadeer ran a business in the Erdaoqiao area and belongs to the Akada Industry and Trade Company.

Other aged buildings, including the Akada company building and the Tuanjie Theater, are also listed to be demolished.