Fengyang Drum Tower, China: Roof tiles collapse damaging historic landmark

On Monday, May 19, at around 6:30 a.m. local time, hundreds of roof tiles unexpectedly detached and fell from the Fengyang Drum Tower, located in north-central Anhui Province, China. At the time of the incident, hundreds of visitors were present at the site. Fortunately, since no one was in the square at that moment, no injuries or fatalities were reported.

Eyewitnesses reported that the atmosphere quickly turned tense as the roof tiles began to give way. They noted that the tiles continued falling for approximately two minutes. The cause of the collapse is currently unknown, but an investigation is underway to determine the exact reason.

The historic landmark dates back to 1375 and has traditionally been used for ceremonial purposes. According to Chinese state media, it is one of the largest drum towers in the country and a prominent attraction in Anhui Province, located roughly 200 miles south of Beijing.

It is worth noting that the roof underwent repairs last year due to minor damage. Officials stated that the structure consists of two sections: the base, which dates from the Ming Dynasty era, and an upper section that was reconstructed in 1995. Most of the damage, they added, appears to have occurred in the latter.