Many Families Dining at the Mall Suffered Heavy Losses
Five Killed at the Scene, Ten of the Injured Are Children
An accident occurred in Peru where the roof of a shopping mall collapsed, resulting in over 80 casualties. On the 21st (local time), foreign media including the AP reported that the roof of the food court at the Real Plaza Trujillo shopping mall in Trujillo, La Libertad region in northwestern Peru, collapsed in the evening, killing 6 people and injuring at least 78. Walter Astudillo, Peru's Minister of Defense, stated at a press conference that 5 people died at the scene and 1 person died after being transported to the hospital. Among the injured, 30 have already been discharged, while 48 remain hospitalized. Currently, 3 of the injured are reported to be in critical condition.
An accident occurred in Peru where the roof of a shopping mall collapsed, resulting in over 80 casualties. On the evening of the 21st (local time), foreign media including the AP reported that the roof of the food court at the Real Plaza Trujillo shopping mall in Trujillo, La Libertad region, northwestern Peru, collapsed, killing 6 people and injuring at least 78. Reuters·Yonhap News
According to the authorities' announcement, the collapsed roof area reached 700 to 800 square meters. The food court was located directly beneath the collapsed roof, so families dining in the evening suffered significant damage. The cause of the collapse has not yet been determined. Among the injured, 10 were children, as the roof collapse also struck a children's playground.
Local authorities announced that search and rescue operations have been completed. They inspected all areas of the shopping center, including zones that were difficult to access and highly dangerous, confirming that no additional victims were found. The fire department reported that after deploying search dogs, no further signs of life were discovered.
The cause of the roof collapse has not yet been determined. Local media cited experts pointing to structural issues with the roof. Professor Christian Asmart Garaikoetxea explained that although the food court roof was designed in a dome shape, problems may have arisen due to its very flat curvature. EPA·Yonhap News
The cause of the roof collapse has not yet been identified. Local media cited construction experts who pointed out structural issues with the roof, explaining that although the food court roof was designed in a dome shape, its very flat curvature may have caused problems. This design characteristic likely affected the building's load capacity. Additionally, problems with the heavy rain drainage system were also suspected as a cause of the collapse. Flat or slightly curved roofs tend to accumulate rainwater, and if it is not properly drained, excessive load may be applied to the structure. Mario Reyna, the mayor of Trujillo, ordered the immediate closure of the shopping mall. Mayor Reyna also announced plans to conduct safety inspections of other shopping malls in the area. The city authorities will carry out an overall investigation of building safety to prevent further damage.
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