XINING - An investigation team has been established by the Qinghai provincial government following a fatal bridge construction accident that occurred on Friday, according to the provincial emergency management bureau.

Twelve people have been confirmed dead and four remain missing as of 6 pm Friday, after a steel cable snapped during a tensioning operation at the site of the bridge under construction on the Qinghai section of the Xining-Chengdu Railway in Jainca county, Huangnan Tibetan autonomous prefecture.

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The failure caused a 108-meter steel girder arch rib to collapse, with 16 workers at the site at the time of the accident.

The investigation into the accident has been officially launched. The investigation team is composed of four specialized units that focus on coordination, technical analysis, management review, and rescue evaluation.

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A report on the causes and responsibilities of the accident, as well as recommendations for disciplinary and legal actions will be released promptly.

The Office of the Work Safety Commission under China's State Council has set up a working group with related authorities to guide the investigation into the accident, the Ministry of Emergency Management said on Saturday.