Workers rescued after China tunnel collapse

A Chinese construction worker is pulled from a collapsed tunnel after spending two days trapped underground.

He and four others are applauded upon their rescue Friday in the northwest province of Gansu.

Rescuers dug a small hole through which they could pass through food, water, a telephone line and even a camera.

(SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CONSTRUCTION WORKER MO HONGYUAN SAYING:

"I knew. They put a steel tube into the tunnel, so after that we knew what was happening."

Rescuers eventually reached the men after spending 56 hours digging an 11-metre-long escape route.

(SOUNDBITE)(Mandarin) CONSTRUCTION WORKER HU LIN SAYING:

"It wasn't so bad in there, because there was ventilation and we had food."

Accidents like these are common in China, where a fast growing infrastructure often takes precedence over safety standards.