The collapsed roof of the hall in Česká Třebová is being examined by a new court expert

Česká Třebová - A forensic expert appointed by the police is examining the collapsed roof of the new sports hall in Česká Třebová. The structure fell on Saturday evening during a floorball tournament, and all eight dozen people managed to escape, with two sustaining minor injuries during their flight. The police replaced the originally designated expert with another due to possible bias, said Lenka Vilímková, spokesperson for the Orlickoústecko police, today.

"Today we will begin a thorough examination of the building in the presence of another forensic expert, and everything should be in order from his side. We are also securing additional supporting material and interviewing individuals," stated Vilímková. The originally designated expert could have been somehow connected to the construction company that built the hall or to the design office. The examination of the site will take several days, and the amount of damages is not yet clear.

The hall was built by the construction company Profistav Litomyšl. According to the building designer Tomáš Friš, it is unclear why the roof structure collapsed. The structure was made from wooden trusses, which he considers a common method of construction. About 25 centimeters of snow was on the roof of the hall before the roof collapsed, and Friš does not believe this was the cause of the accident.

The police have initiated criminal proceedings regarding the roof collapse, but the legal classification has not yet been determined. "We will wait for all the gathered information and especially for the expert report," said Vilímková.

The damaged hall is being guarded by the police. After the examination is completed, the building will be handed over to the owner, who will arrange the security himself.

The Pardubice region built the new hall at a cost of 58 million crowns, and the grand opening was planned for Sunday. It was to be used by the local Higher Vocational School and Technical High School, located within its premises, as the original gym was already outdated and did not meet modern standards. "The accident will not have a direct impact on the operation of the school; we will provide classes in the existing spaces, in the original gym," said school director Milan Kment to ČTK. The school has warned all students that access to the accident site is prohibited.

In addition to the students, the hall was also to be used by sports clubs focused on floorball, volleyball, and basketball. The new hall has a rectangular floor plan measuring approximately 51 by 26 meters. Six changing rooms were created in the background, accommodating a total of 72 athletes, along with showers.