[Image: Wiki Commons]
Visitors to a centuries-old tourist site in eastern China were sent running after a section of the Fengyang Drum Tower’s roof came loose and sent tiles raining down in a dusty cloud.
The tower, built in 1375 and used to announce the beginning of ceremonies and the time of day, is one of the largest such towers in China, according to state media.
The tower is a major tourist attraction in Anhui province, which is 260km from Beijing, China’s capital.
But on Monday, the quiet around the site was shattered as hundreds of roof tiles began slipping from the roof and crashing to the ground, raising a huge cloud of gray-brown dust.
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A onlooker told China’s state media that there was no one in the square and no one was injured, but “if it happened a little later, there would be many children playing (near the tower) after dinner.”
Fengyang County is famous for its history and culture, and was home to Zhu Yuanzhang (the Hongwu Emperor), founder of the Ming dynasty. He oversaw a prosperous era fueled by strong international trade and a growing population. During this time, China replaced its traditional currency of silver and gold with paper money.
The collapse happened just a year after the tower was renovated following minor damage to the roof. Probably a good idea to get a different contractor this time around.
[Source: CNN]
