Roof over Winter Olympics stadium collapses under snow

0 Comments | AFP, January, 2007

VANCOUVER, Canada (AFP) — An inflated roof over the main stadium for the 2010 Winter Olympics has collapsed under a blanket of wet snow, with no reported injuries, the Vancouver fire department said. The distinct balloon-like roof over British Columbia Place Stadium ripped during a winter storm, said Kirk Lucas, battalion chief with Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services in this western Canadian city.

"Were lucky," Lucas told AFP. "The only people there were staff, and there were no injuries. They've got a crew on the way to repair it." Heavy and dangerous lighting and other equipment hung from the roof, he said. Wet, heavy snow was falling when the aging roof ripped open and slowly began deflating. "It's just a big balloon, it's kept up with air and it just collapsed on...