Photo: @fennafaxing/Douyin
The historic Tobei Tower in eastern China has become a source of panic among tourists after hundreds of roof tiles collapsed, covering the area in clouds of dust. The incident occurred on Monday in Fengyang, Anhui province, CNN reported, citing Chinese state media.
The tower, built in 1375 during the Ming Dynasty, was used to announce ceremonies and countdowns. Today it is a popular tourist destination located 320 km from Beijing.
“The fall lasted for a minute or two. It was like a hail of tiles,” one eyewitness told Yangcheng Evening News.
Another witness, who was in the store near the entrance, heard the tiles falling one by one.
“Fortunately, the square was empty. If it had happened a little later, there would have been children playing there,” he added in a comment to The Beijing News.
Restoration a year ago: what went wrong?
Local authorities have already launched an investigation. The collapse occurred just one year after the completion of restoration work that was carried out due to minor damage to the roof.
The tower consists of two parts: the original Ming Dynasty foundation and the superstructure restored in 1995. It was the latter that suffered serious damage.
Historical heritage under threat
Fengyang is known as the birthplace of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the Ming Dynasty. It was during his reign that China experienced a boom in trade, demographic growth and the transition from silver to paper money.
The Tobei Tower incident has reignited discussions about the quality of restoration work on China’s cultural monuments, which have become increasingly vulnerable in recent years due to commercial tourism and hasty renovation.
