Three Injured as Wall Blown Off Shunyi Highrise During Storm
Three people have been hospitalized after the exterior wall of a Shunyi high-rise apartment complex in northeast Beijing fell upon them during a summer storm.
On Thursday evening at around 6pm, greenhouse attachments built into the side of the No. 8 Moma Village apartment in Shunyi fell approximately 20 meters onto a retail shopping area below.
Victims of the incident include a 63-year-old woman who suffered head injuries and two girls with leg injuries. All victims have been taken to hospital for treatment.
As seen by photos taken at the scene, a section of the exterior wall covering over five floors of the building have been ripped off the apartment by gale-force winds estimated to have reached category 8 (maximum speed of 74 kilometers per hour). Fallen debris from the building include materials made of concrete.
The shopping area has been temporarily closed off with caution tape since the incident.
The building from which the greenhouses fell is said to be only a year old. Last July, a Weibo post complained of numerous structural problems with the new Moma Village apartment. But despite numerous cracks and leaks, the poster said the building's property management did not care to address the problems.
Over the years, strong winds have been responsible for causing a number of Beijing injuries and fatalities.
Last April, a woman was killed when a collapsible tent blew onto her in the area of Beiyuan Station, only to happen again a month later on Zhichun Road during another storm. In an unrelated incident, another woman was hit by a shopfront sign that fell off of a commercial building just south of Sanlitun.
And while strong winds will often blow away loose and unanchored objects, a number of Beijing buildings have shown themselves to be at the mercy of the outdoor elements. Last year saw this loosened awning strike a motorized cyclist:
While amateur video happened to record strong winds peel off the facade to this Beijing building:
But for all the problems that strong winds present to the city, Beijing is actively working to encourage their presence. Through the construction of "ventilation corridors," city authorities hope to harness wind power in order to blow away air pollution and cool down its concrete urban core.
Images: BJNews.com.cn, the Beijinger
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