Diligent management, safety standards stressed after roof collapse

The Ministry of Emergency Management has urged authorities across China to carry out immediate inspections into campuses and sport venues to rule out safety hazards as the death toll from a roof collapse in a school gym in Heilongjiang province on Sunday rose to 11.

There were 19 people in the gym at the No 34 Middle School of Qiqihar when the accident occurred on Sunday afternoon. Four people escaped and 15 were trapped.

Rescuers managed to pull all of the trapped from the debris at around 10 am on Monday. Five of them were confirmed dead on the spot, and six others died after medical treatment.

A preliminary investigation found construction workers placed perlite on the roof of the gymnasium during the construction of an adjacent teaching building. Due to rainfall, the perlite soaked up water and gained weight, resulting in the collapse.

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

In a media release on Monday, the Ministry of Emergency Management asked authorities across the country to draw a lesson from the accident and remain "highly vigilant" to ensure safety at schools and sport venues.

Education, sports and housing authorities across the country should promptly conduct inspections in school campuses and sports venues to screen for hidden dangers and then rectify them, it said, adding they should strengthen the responsibilities of management in these facilities and enhance supervisory work to prevent future accidents.