What’s new: The collapse of a school gym’s roof has left 11 dead in Qiqihar, Northeast China’s Heilongjiang province, due to what an initial investigation determined was misconduct by a construction crew working on a nearby building, state media reported.
The incident on Sunday trapped 15 people in the rubble at No. 34 Middle School in the city’s Longsha district. As of Monday morning, all 15 had been pulled out of the debris, state broadcaster CCTV reported. Among them, five were found dead. Six others died after receiving medical treatment.
What’s more: Videos circulating online showed the gymnasium’s roof had completely collapsed and some of its walls were partially damaged.
An initial investigation found that a construction crew had illegally placed perlite, a porous water-absorbing substance, on the roof of the gymnasium while working on a neighboring school building, CCTV reported. As the area was hit by heavy rain, the perlite absorbed water and grew heavier, eventually leading to the collapse.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Police have detained those in charge of the construction company, the report said.
Contact reporter Wang Xintong (xintongwang@caixin.com) and editor Michael Bellart (michaelbellart@caixin.com)
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