A worker has died and 15 were buried when a cement mill warehouse under construction collapsed late Monday in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, authorities confirmed on Tuesday .

Rescuers, including fire fighting officers and work safety officials, are working hard to reach seven workers still buried in the debris.

A Tongliang County government source said a chamotte warehouse being constructed inside the Jinjiang Cement Factory in Tongliang County suddenly collapsed at 9:40 PM on Monday, burying all the 15 workers at the site.

A Chongqing Municipal Work Safety Bureau rescue team rushed to the site of the accident.

By 2:00 AM on Tuesday the rescuers had pulled out eight workers from the debris, one of whom later died in hospital.

Police are investigating the cause of the accident.

Chamotte, or grog, is a high silica- and alumina-content based mortar used for fire bricks.

(Xinhua News Agency August 18, 2009)