Ten people dead after school gymnasium roof collapses in China

The concrete roof of a school gymnasium collapsed in China’s Qiqihar city on Sunday killing 10 people, with one person still trapped, state media reported on Monday.

Initially, 15 people were thought to be trapped underneath the rubble and authorities pulled 14 individuals out from the debris, the Telegraph reports citing CCTV.

The collapse at the No. 34 Middle School in Longsha District in Qiqihar, located in northeast China’s Heilongjiang province, was reported just before 3 pm local time (7 am GMT) on Sunday, the provincial fire and rescue department said.

There were 19 people at the gymnasium when the accident occurred. Four people escaped and 15 were trapped, the municipal search and rescue headquarters said.

As of 3 am local time on Monday, 14 people had been pulled out of the rubble, with three showing no vital signs. Six people died after treatment failed, state news agency Xinhua reported.

An overhead aerial view of the scene showed a collapsed roof with rescue workers in the gym next to large boulders of concrete.

The region and several parts of China had heavy rain this weekend, causing flooding and damage in some areas.

A preliminary investigation found that construction workers illegally placed perlite, a mineral with high water content, on the roof of the gymnasium during the construction of a teaching building adjacent to the gymnasium, Xinhua reported.

Under persistent rain, the perlite soaked up water and gained weight, resulting in the roof collapse.

An in-depth investigation is ongoing and individuals in charge of the construction company have been taken into police custody.