A loess collapse caused a landslide in north China's Shanxi Province that killed 19 workers in a brick factory, a local official said on Saturday.

The loose soil, steep slope and villagers watering trees on the slope contributed to the loess collapse, an official with the Shanxi Provincial Land and Resources Department said.

The landslide occurred at about 10:20 a.m. Friday, destroying the factory and burying 20 workers at Shang'an village, Luliang City.

Only one worker, Wu Sandan, was pulled out alive. He is being treated in a hospital and has no life-threatening injuries.

(Xinhua News Agency June 15, 2008)