Shocking moment gym ceiling collapses as dozens of children have swimming lessons in a pool in Taiwan

  • The roof of a sports centre in Taipei suddenly fell, injuring a woman in her 60s 
  • About 50 people - dozens of them children - were in the nearby main pool  
  • The steel structure was reportedly corroded by steam or chlorine from the water

A group of children at a swimming pool in Taiwan came within inches of death when a part of the ceiling suddenly collapsed near them.

The part of the roof - approximately 711 square feet in size - crashed onto the spa section near the main pool at Taipei Nan-Gang Sports Centre on Saturday morning, injuring a woman in her 60s.

About 50 people - dozens of them children - were having swimming lessons in the main pool metres away as their parents sat at the audience stand, according to reports.

A group of children at a swimming pool in Taipei came within inches of death when a part of the ceiling suddenly collapsed near them on Saturday morning

A group of children at a swimming pool in Taipei came within inches of death when a part of the ceiling suddenly collapsed near them on Saturday morning

CCTV footage captured the horrifying moment a massive piece of ceiling shatters and comes tumbling down near the main pool, stunning swimmers. 

There were about 47 children taking swimming lessons in the pool and three family members sitting at the poolside, according to United Daily News.

One of the coaches said lifeguards immediately started evacuating people. 

A woman was hit by the fallen plaster and ceiling materials and suffered a swollen arm, according to the report.

'There are flaws in the construction design that posed danger,' Liu Zheming from Taipei city's Department of Sports told reporters. 

The damage left a hole in the ceiling and pieces of debris were seen in the shallow pool

The damage left a hole in the ceiling and pieces of debris were seen in the shallow pool

The part of the roof - approximately 711 square feet in size - crashed onto the spa section near the main pool at Taipei Nan-Gang Sports Centre, injuring a woman in her 60s
There were about 47 children taking swimming lessons in the pool and three family members sitting at the poolside

The part of the roof - approximately 711 square feet in size - crashed onto the spa section near the main pool at Taipei Nan-Gang Sports Centre, injuring a woman in her 60s

The steam or the chlorine from the water might have corroded the steel structure of the facility's ceiling, according to the report. The sports centre was built 11 years ago and lacked maintenance in the pool's ceiling parts.

The damage left a large hole in the ceiling and pieces of debris were seen at the bottom of the shallow pool in the spa section.

The Nan-Gang Sports Centre issued a statement on their website saying that the pool will be closed between July 14 to July 27 due to 'partial damage to the ceiling'.

'All swimming lessons will be suspended in the meantime. We apologise for all inconvenience caused,' the statement said, adding that the official opening date would be confirmed again in the near future.