MOSCOW, February 23 (RIA Novosti) - The collapse of a roof at a market in the Russian capital that killed 14 people so far could have been caused by heavy load of snow accumulated on top of the building, Mayor Yury Luzhkov said Thursday. "The possible cause [of the collapse] is the excessive amount of snow gathered on the roof, which has a concave shape," the mayor said. He confirmed that after a tragedy at Transvaal Park in Moscow on February 14, 2004 that killed 28 and injured more than a hundred, all buildings designed by Architect Nodar Kancheli had been inspected. The roof of the Baumansky market was designed to support heavy loads of snow and had special drainage systems.
Intensive rescue operation is currently under way at the site of the accident, Luzhkov said adding that the exact number of victims could not be determined at the time because some people might be still located under the rubble.
