School gym collapses, 11 killed

Eleven people were killed when the roof of a school gym collapsed in North-east China, local media reported on Monday.

All 15 people who were known to be inside the building had been accounted for.

The accident occurred on Sunday in the city of Qiqihar in north-east China’s Heilongjiang province.

Rescue work is still underway.

According to the report, initial investigations revealed that workers had illegally stored perlite rock on the roof of the sports hall.

When it rained, the material became saturated with water and gained weight, which probably led to the collapse of the roof.

Reuters