TAIYUAN, Jan. 4-- Twelve people were prevented from committing suicide on Sunday morning in Shuozhou City in north China's Shanxi Province, local authorities said.

Twelve people intended to jump from the top of the local development and reform commission government building at around 10 a.m. Officials, together with local police and firefighters, rushed to the scene and stopped them from jumping.

According to the local publicity department, the 12 people were seeking government intervention after Ma Aibin, the boss of Shanxi Heli venture capital firm, took off with their investment money.

Local officials are communicating with them about the case.