The cause of the accident is under investigation, officials said, and the person in charge of the gym, also managed by New Sunshine, has been detained by the police.
It was not immediately known what caused the collapse, but the country’s northernmost province was slammed by harsh cold and blizzard weather throughout Monday that wreaked havoc on public transportation and closed schools.
More blizzard conditions are expected on Tuesday in Heilongjiang, including Jiamusi, CCTV news said, with warnings of icy roads, downed power lines and other snow-related obstructions.
In July, 11 people were killed after the concrete roof of a school gymnasium in China’s Qiqihar city collapsed.
Authorities had said that collapse was due to construction materials weighing on the roof. Heavy rains had drenched the region for several days.
“I remember that safety inspections were conducted on various gymnasiums after the Qiqihar No. 34 Middle School gymnasium collapse in July,” said a netizen on China’s Weibo social media platform. “What was found? Another gymnasium collapse occurred in three months.”