China school gym collapse: Qiqihar officials apologise for fatal foof failure
- Preliminary investigation blames collapse on illegal storage of building materials on gym roof; construction company personnel detained
- ‘My best friends are all gone,’ a friend of the victims writes on social media, as sympathy and anger over the disaster surge online
Officials in the northeastern Chinese city of Qiqihar have apologised to the public over the fatal collapse of a school gym, saying the failure was caused by inadequately stored construction materials.
Shen Hongyu, Communist Party secretary and mayor of Qiqihar, in Heilongjiang province, apologised on Monday night for the tragedy, which killed 11 people.
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School gym roof collapses in northeast China, killing 11 students and injuring 4
“We express our heartfelt condolences to the victims and our deepest apologies to the families of the victims, the injured and their relatives,” Shen said.
A preliminary investigation indicated that perlite, a highly absorbent building material, had been illegally stored on the roof of the gym at Qiqihar No 34 Middle School, causing the structure to collapse, according to Shen.
“This is Qiqihar’s most serious safety accident in recent years. In this accident, 11 people, including teachers and students, lost their precious lives, causing serious harm to many families,” Shen said.
State news agency Xinhua reported on Monday that the victims died when the roof caved in at around 3pm on Sunday.