At least 25 people were taken to hospital with injuries as the collapse of a stage sparked pandemonium at gala show celebrating the 30th anniversary of a prestigious aeronautical institute in Beijing, mainland media reports
Dozens of performers were standing on the central part of a three-metre-high wooden stage at Beihang University when it suddenly collapsed near the end of Saturday’s show, The Beijing News reported.
Watch me: Stage collapses at gala show at Beihang University
The collapse spark screams from the audience and performers as they rushed from the hall.
Ten of the injured when the stage collapsed were still being kept in hospital for treatment on Sunday, the report said.
The hosts of the gala, marking the 30th anniversary of the establishment the university’s school of aeronautical engineering, had been making the closing remarks at the time of the accident, according to a video uploaded on social media by a member of the audience on Wednesday.
The LED screen to the right of the stage also fell down after the collapse of the stage.
The university cancelled all scheduled events in the hall after the accident while the “relevant authorities” carried out safety checks and repaired damaged equipment.
So far the university has yet to reveal publicly what caused the accident, The Beijing News said.
A student who attended the event told the newspaper that the wooden stage appeared to be raised about three metres off the ground supported by a steel structure.
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