Rescue efforts continued after at least 11 people, including six children under 12 years old, died when part of a roof over a skating rink in Bad Reichenhall, in southeast Germany, collapsed January 2. The roof of the 34-year old-building was covered with "wet and heavy" snow at the time of the accident, which also caused 34 injuries, says a rescue official.

The snow loads of the rink's roof was "well below the maximum" but officials ordered the sports centre's closure to the public that evening as a precaution, says Michael Posch, a liaison officer with rescue teams of Berchtesgadener district, of which Bad Reichenhall is the capital. The roughly 30 by 40 m, single-floor glass-sided building, completed in 1972, was covered with a largely timber roof, also containing steel, says Posch.

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