BEIJING, Feb. 17 -- A Beijing procuratorate issued an arrest warrant on Tuesday for a lawmaker from east China's Xuzhou City after unauthorized basement construction at his Beijing courtyard home caused neighboring houses to collapse.

The Xicheng District People's Procuratorate issued the warrant for Li Baojun, who is suspected of being liable for causing a major accident.

Li had dug an 18-meter-deep basement in his courtyard in the historic district without permission. It caved in and caused the road and surrounding buildings to collapse on Jan. 24.

Li, an entrepreneur engaged in auto parts business, began to serve as a lawmaker in Xuzhou in 2008. He resigned on Jan. 31 after the incident caused a stir on the Internet.