The block, in the outskirts of the eastern city of Shanghai, toppled around dawn and ended up lying on its side in a muddy construction field.

Construction work on the block appeared to have been nearly completed, with windows fitted and a tiled facade. Other identical blocks in the same property development were still standing nearby.

The official Xinhua News Agency said that a 28-year-old worker, surnamed Xiao, had gone into the building to get his tools and tried to jump out the window when the building fell. He was from Anhui province in eastern China.