11 dead after gym roof collapses in northeast China
The roof of the gymnasium at the No. 34 Middle School in Longsha District in Qiqihar City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, collapses at 2:56pm on Sunday.
The death toll from a roof collapse in a middle school gymnasium Sunday in Qiqihar City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, has risen to 11, and all 15 trapped have been pulled out, rescuers said on Monday.
The roof collapse was reported at 2:56pm on Sunday, according to the provincial fire and rescue department.
There were 19 people at the gymnasium covering about 1,200 square meters at the No. 34 Middle School in Longsha District when the accident occurred. Four people escaped on their own and 15 were trapped, the municipal search and rescue headquarters said.
Rescuers brought all of the 15 people from the debris. Among the casualties, five were confirmed dead on the spot, and six others died after medical treatment. The remaining four people have been checked without life-threatening injuries.
A preliminary investigation found that construction workers illegally placed perlite on the roof of the gymnasium during their construction of a teaching building adjacent to the gymnasium. Under the influence of rainfall, the perlite soaked in water and gained weight, resulting in the roof collapse.
The gymnasium's walls have a grid structure, and the roof is made of concrete slabs, according to local authorities.
An in-depth investigation is ongoing. Those in charge of the construction company have been taken into police custody.
