Eleven people died in China after the roof of a middle school gymnasium collapsed in the northeastern city of Qiqihar on Sunday, sparking outrage on social media demanding government accountability.
(Bloomberg) — Eleven people died in China after the roof of a middle school gymnasium collapsed in the northeastern city of Qiqihar on Sunday, sparking outrage on social media demanding government accountability.
A total of 15 people trapped under concrete debris have been pulled out, with the last one found Monday morning without any vital signs, according to the official Xinhua News Agency, which cited the local rescue department.
A preliminary investigation found that construction workers from a nearby project placed material with perlite, a mineral that can absorb water, on the roof of the gymnasium in violation of existing regulations. The mineral gained weight after persistent rains, overloading the roof, CCTV news reported. Personnel involved in the construction project have been taken in by the local police for questioning, the report said.
The incident has sparked outrage on China’s Twitter-like Weibo, with the hashtag related to the collapse gathering 520 million views as of 4 p.m. local time, making it the day’s most-searched topic on the social platform. Many online users pointed to how the official announcement highlights authorities’ efforts to rescue victims, while de-emphasizing casualties.
A viral video shows someone who claims to be a victim’s parent lamenting the lack of communication from authorities, either from doctors, or from local police and officials present at the hospitals. While some posts with the videos appear to have been deleted, several clips are still being passed around on Weibo and WeChat. Bloomberg cannot independently verify the authenticity of this video, which appeared to have been taken Sunday midnight.
Referring to the video, Hu Xijin, former editor-in-chief of the state-run Global Times newspaper, called on local authorities to enhance communications and address public concerns.
“Officers who came to the hospital should act pro-actively and empathize with the parents, rather than just staying around and giving the impression that they’re in the premise to ‘maintain stability.’” Hu wrote on Weibo on Monday.
–With assistance from Lucille Liu.
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