The concrete roof of a gymnasium in a school in Qiqihar City, China, collapsed, resulting in the deaths of 11 people, many of whom are believed to be young female volleyball players. Authorities stated that the illegal storage of materials on the roof of the building may have contributed to the collapse. It was reported that 19 people were inside the gym at the time of the incident, and four managed to escape. Initially, 15 people were trapped under the rubble, and official media learned at 10 AM local time (02:00 GMT) that authorities had recovered the last student from under the debris, who did not appear to be alive.
According to the Xinhua News Agency, a preliminary investigation revealed that construction workers illegally placed perlite, a material that can absorb significant amounts of water, on the roof of the gymnasium while building an adjacent educational facility. Xinhua added that an extensive investigation is underway, and individuals responsible from the construction company are in custody by the police.
Official media pointed out that recent heavy rainfall saturated the material with water, leading to its increased weight and the roof's collapse. This region and many others in China experienced heavy rains earlier in the week, causing flooding and damage in some areas.
