Investigation underway after tiles fell from recently-repaired Fengyang Drum Tower in E.China’s Anhui

A portion of tiles from the eastern side of the Fengyang Drum Tower's rooftop detached and fell at around 6:30 pm on Monday, no injuries were reported and the investigation for the incident was underway, said the Culture and Tourism Bureau of Fengyang County in the city of Chuzhou in East China's Anhui Province in a statement on Tuesday. The statement followed several viral videos online showing a large number of roof tiles falling from the top of the tower, which had completed maintenance just a year earlier.

Videos taken at the scene showed a slow initial slide of tiles from the top edge of the tower, followed by a sudden large-scale detachment of additional tiles that crashed down at the entrance, raising clouds of dust. The hashtag "Fengyang Drum Tower collapsed" became the top trending topic on China's X-like social media platform Weibo on Tuesday, Beijing Youth Daily reported.

The Fengyang tourism authority said in a statement on Monday evening, confirming no injuries. A more detailed statement was released on Tuesday, saying that following the incident, local authorities promptly evacuated bystanders from the scene and cordoned off the area with secure barriers. An investigation team has been set up and the repair project's design, construction, and supervision units have been instructed to report to the site. Experts have also been invited to assist in the investigation and verification process.

According to the statement, Fengyang Drum Tower, consisting of the foundation and building, was built in 1375. The original part of the building was destroyed in 1853 while the current building was rebuilt in 1995. According to the official WeChat account Chuzhou Culture and Tourism, the drum tower is recognized as the largest existing one in China.

The Fengyang tourism authority noted that sporadic roof tile falls and cornice board damage had occurred since 2017. A repair project began in September 2023 and was completed in March 2024.

According to Chuzhou public resources trading center website, the contract for the repair project was valued at approximately 3.4 million yuan (roughly $473,300) and the final settlement amount was 2.9 million yuan. The project's safety compliance and quality compliance were rated as satisfactory, Beijing Daily reported.

The Fengyang tourism authority announced on Tuesday that the tower would be temporarily closed for roof repairs starting that day. The reopening date will be announced at a later time.