HARBIN, July 24 (Xinhua) -- Nine people were confirmed dead and two others remained trapped after the roof of a school gymnasium collapsed Sunday in Qiqihar City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.
The roof collapse was reported at 2:56 p.m. Sunday, according to the provincial fire and rescue department.
There were 19 people at the gymnasium covering about 1,200 square meters at the No. 34 Middle School in Longsha District when the accident occured. Four people escaped on their own and 15 were trapped, the municipal search and rescue headquarters said.
As of 3 a.m. Monday, 13 people had been rescued, among whom three were pulled out without vital signs, and six died after treatment failed. Rescue efforts are still underway.
Preliminary investigation found that construction workers illegally placed perlite on the roof of the gymnasium during their construction of a teaching building adjacent to the gymnasium. Under the influence of rainfall, the perlite soaked in water and gained weight, resulting in the roof collapse.
The gymnasium's walls have a grid structure, and the roof is made of concrete slabs, according to local authorities.
An in-depth investigation is ongoing. Those in charge of the construction company have been taken into police custody. ■
