On July 24, the roof of the sports hall at the Qiqihar No. 34 Middle School in Heilongjiang Province, China collapsed, resulting in 11 deaths. At the time of the incident, there were 19 people in the gymnasium. Many parents, speaking at local hospitals, expressed their anger over the perceived inaction of local officials. One parent expressed frustration that the police were present to maintain order, rather than assisting in the situation, and questioned the city's attitude towards the tragedy.
A Volleyball Team Tragedy: Qiqihar School Gymnasium Collapse Claims 11 Lives
According to the state-run media CCTV on July 24, the last student trapped in the collapsed sports hall was rescued but showed no signs of life. In total, the incident resulted in 11 fatalities. Investigations into the incident are currently underway.
The collapse occurred around 4 p.m. on July 23, when there were a total of 19 people in the gymnasium. Four managed to escape on their own, while the remaining 15 were trapped. Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic, with emergency vehicles, cranes, and ambulances at the site to aid in the rescue. Witnesses also indicated that students were training in the gym at the time of the incident.
The girls' volleyball team, which had recently placed second in a competition, was training in the gymnasium when the incident occurred. A local resident shared that the volleyball team had been practicing inside. On July 16, the girls' volleyball team of the Qiqihar No. 34 Middle School had competed in the 18th Student Games' high school volleyball competition held at the Mudanjiang Normal University and won second place.
Parents' Anguish: Lack of Official Response, Police on Guard to Maintain Order. What is the Government Doing?
A video circulating online shows a male parent in a hospital corridor addressing bystanders. After the incident occurred around 4 p.m., the children were taken to various hospitals. This particular hospital received at least five students (with another person claiming there were a total of nine, three of whom had minor injuries). The parent emphasized that two of the children were confirmed dead on arrival.
The parent passionately questioned what officials had been doing in the four, five, or even six hours following the accident. He stressed the lack of communication with parents about the condition of their children, despite the lengthy rescue efforts. The scene was filled with police, with the parent questioning their presence and lack of action from educational officials and the government.
The parent pointed to the crowd, demanding answers from the education bureau and government representatives who were present but remained silent. There was frustration at the lack of communication from medical staff about the condition of the children.
The same parent recounted asking the police to communicate with medical staff, but to no avail. He pointed out that police were there merely to maintain order and prevent unrest. He expressed disappointment with the lack of communication from government workers.
Despite asking the police for assistance and being turned away, the parent forced his way in to speak with the doctor about his child's condition. The lack of updates, even several hours after the incident, led to increased frustration. He questioned the absence of school and city officials and their apparent lack of concern for the families.
Frustration grew as the parent spoke about the condition of the children who arrived at the hospital - dirty and bloodied. He was not even given the chance to identify his child. The parent angrily questioned the city of Qiqihar and the local district's response to the tragedy. He openly challenged the leadership present, questioning if his complaints were unreasonable.
The parent noted that a government worker had followed him when he went to speak with the doctor. He felt that instead of assisting with the conversation, she was there to monitor the situation and report back to the leadership. More parents voiced their anger and pointed towards the leadership, questioning the handling of the situation by the hospital and the government, accusing them of merely maintaining order rather than actively assisting.
