Shruti Suman
Ten people have lost their lives, and one person is trapped after the roof of a school gym collapsed in northeastern China. This tragic incident occurred at the No. 34 Middle School in Qiqihar, Heilongjiang Province, just before 3 pm on Sunday, according to reports from state media on Monday.
Rescue efforts have been underway since the collapse, and as of 5:30 am on Monday, 14 people have been rescued from the debris. Unfortunately, four of them were found without vital signs, and six others succumbed to their injuries despite attempts at medical treatment.
CCTV, the state broadcaster, aired footage showing the entire roof of the gym flattened, and rescue workers diligently searching through the rubble to find survivors.
In response to the tragic incident, a search and rescue operation involving nearly 160 firefighters and 39 fire trucks has been launched.
Preliminary investigations into the cause of the collapse indicate that construction workers had placed perlite, a type of volcanic glass, on the roof. Subsequently, heavy rainfall caused the perlite to expand, leading to the roof’s collapse.
Authorities have taken those responsible for the construction company into police custody, as they investigate the circumstances that contributed to this disaster.
This unfortunate incident sheds light on the issue of industrial accidents in China, which often result from lax safety standards and inadequate enforcement. Such disasters have been a recurring problem in the country, with one of the most devastating occurrences happening in Tianjin in 2015, where a massive explosion at a chemical warehouse claimed the lives of at least 165 people.
