China’s Ministry of Emergency Management announced on August 14 that authorities in Heilongjiang Province have been ordered to conduct a thorough investigation into a roof collapse at No.34 Middle School in Qiqihar which caused the deaths of 11 people, who are members of the school’s volleyball team and teachers.
The tragedy happened on the afternoon of July 23 when the roof of the school’s gym collapsed, burying students and teachers who were practicing volleyball.
Rescuers pulled 15 victims from the rubble. Five were already deceased, six died in hospital and four survived. Their identities have not been revealed.
Preliminary investigations indicate the collapse was caused by a construction company working on a nearby building. Workers had illegally piled up perlite, which absorbs high levels of water, on the roof. After days of rain, the load on the gymnasium roof became so heavy that it led to the collapse.
The victims were mostly key members of the girls’ volleyball team who were practicing for a national match in Hunan Province several days later. The tragedy caused public outrage over lax supervision of construction safety.
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