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Mandy Zuo

A teenage boy was killed and another seriously injured after falling from a fourth-floor balcony at their school in southwest China when the railings gave way.
The accident in Bazhong county in Sichuan province happened on Monday morning, the first day of the new school term while the two boys were on a break, local official news portal scol.com.cn reported.
Surveillance footage widely shared on social media shows the railing give way after the two boys bump against it while play fighting.
A 15-year-old, identified only by his surname Zhao, was killed instantly in the fall. A 16-year-old named Li remains in intensive care with serious injuries sustained in the fall.

A number of the boys’ classmates also witnessed the accident and a teacher said pupils were being offered counselling.
While an official investigation is under way, Bazhong No 7 Middle School has faced intense public criticism after footage from the scene of the accident highlighted its poor state of repair, with walls peeling and covered with rust stains.
“This is a typical jerry-built project, plus it’s old and lacks repair. Even if no one was being naughty, a tragedy could still happen when others slipped over or leaned against it,” one Weibo user said.
“We are extremely saddened by what happened and the school feels deeply guilty,” Sun Helin, a deputy school principal, told scol.com.cn, adding that safety checks were now being carried out around the school.
The accident happened on the same day that eight primary schoolchildren in Hubei province were killed in a knife attack. A 40-year-old man was detained following the attack.


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China society

Teenage Chinese boy killed after balcony railings give way at school

The railings gave way when the two boys bumped against them while play fighting. Photo: Weibo

== PICTURE CAPTURED FROM WEIBIO == One teenage boy died and another remained in critical condition after they fell from the fourth floor balcony at their school in Sichuan as part of the railing collapsed on the first day of the new semester.ÊThe metal bars gave way when the boys, one surnamed Zhao and the other Li, hit them while playing with each other on the balcony during a break on Monday morning, the local official news portal scol.com.cn reported.ÊLi, aged 16, was still under intensive care at hospital, while Zhao, aged 15, died immediately after both crumpled to the ground at the Bazhong No. 7 Middle School in Bazhong county.ÊSurveillance footage widely shared on weibo, ChinaÕs version of twitter, showed that Zhao hugged Li from behind and Li pressed on the wall opposite the railing with his feet, causing both to lose balance and bump against the railing.ÊPhoto: WEIBIO

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A 15-year-old died and a classmate suffered serious injuries when they fell from the fourth floor of their school in Sichuan province



A 15-year-old died and a classmate suffered serious injuries when they fell from the fourth floor of their school in Sichuan province.


Safety in China

Teenage Chinese boy killed after balcony railings give way at school

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;} A 15-year-old died and a classmate suffered serious injuries when they fell from the fourth floor of their school in Sichuan province

A 15-year-old died and a classmate suffered serious injuries when they fell from the fourth floor of their school in Sichuan province