Roof of centuries-old Chinese tower partially collapses, video shows

Hundreds of tiles fell from the 650-year-old Fengyang Drum Tower in China’s Anhui province Monday, sending crowds running for safety as the roof collapsed in a giant plume of smoke, social media video showed. There were no injuries, local tourism officials said. “I can’t imagine if this happened half an hour sooner or later,” the janitor told the Evening Post. AdvertisementOn social media, commentators expressed concern about what they called the shoddy conservation of historic sites, with many calling for more research before renovations or reconstructions are undertaken. The 52-foot Drum Tower in the ancient town of Fengyang is the largest watchtower in China, according to the county’s historical archive.