A devastating incident occurred in China’s Qiqihar city on Sunday, July 24, 2023, when the concrete roof of a school gymnasium collapsed, claiming the lives of 10 people. State media reported that one person remains trapped under the debris.
According to preliminary findings from a probe, construction workers were found to have illegally placed perlite, a mineral with high water content, on the roof of the gymnasium during the construction of an adjacent teaching building. This unauthorized construction practice likely contributed to the structural failure of the gymnasium’s roof.
Initially, 15 individuals were believed to be trapped beneath the rubble. However, authorities were able to rescue 14 people from the debris, leaving one person still unaccounted for.
This tragic incident has sent shockwaves through the community and has raised concerns about construction safety standards and oversight in the region. The authorities are diligently working to retrieve the remaining trapped individual while also investigating the circumstances that led to the roof collapse.
As the families and friends of the victims grapple with immense grief and loss, there is a collective call for enhanced safety measures and strict adherence to construction regulations to prevent such tragedies in the future. The focus remains on providing support to those affected and ensuring that lessons are learned to prevent similar incidents from occurring again.