Moment 12-storey building suddenly collapses as pedestrians flee for their lives

This is the dramatic moment a 12-floor building in China was demolished - with little or no warning given to passing pedestrians.



Footage shows passersby panicking and running back as clouds of dust spill into the streets of Changzhou.



The huge dust-cloud filled the city's streets, making it look like the scene of a disaster movie.



Bystanders can be heard screaming and shouting as they rush for cover in the middle of the busy street.



Local news agency Sina reported that the building had been demolished to make way for a planned railway line.



A spokesman for Changzhou city authority said: 'We hired the most powerful workers in the province to ensure that the last pillar of the building was collapsed.'



He claimed that authorities had ensured the building was evacuated and traffic was halted.



This was despite the fact that the footage showed pedestrians and cars passing right next to the 34-year-old building.



China's massive economic expansion has paved the way for a record-breaking amount of building.



The Council of Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat reported that 84 skyscrapers over 200 meters tall were built in China last year.
In January Chinese demolition crews destroyed 19 buildings at once in just ten seconds.