The incident occurred at around 7.30pm on September 2 when huge chunks of gypsum-made roof fell down unexpectedly during two matches of the Yonex Sunrise Vietnam Open badminton tournament.

According to a witness, players were competing in all three courts when dust fell. Seeing ceiling cracks, they quickly fled from the court, so no-one was injured.

This multifunctional sports house not only serves indoor sports activities, but also hosts music events.

The gym was closed for repairs after the incident. According to the Yonex Sunrise Vietnam Open organizers, the event will be held at the gymnasiums of Phu Tho and Tan Binh.

The tournament attracted more than 170 players, who compete in five categories of men's and women's doubles and mixed doubles events for a total prize of US$50,000.

Minister of Construction Trinh Dinh Dung today asked HCM City to examine the cause of the collapse of Phan Dinh Phung Sports House.

In a dispatch to the HCM City People’s Committee, Dung reminded the designated agencies to pay special attention to the stability of the roof structure, suspension roof details, and the quality of the roof.  

He also proposed that the HCM City People’s Committee instruct its construction department to examine the quality of suspension roofs of all public works in the city to ensure safety of consumers.

Nguyen Phuong Nam, President of the Vietnam Badminton Federation and head of the organising board of the Yonex Sunrise Vietnam Open 2014, admitted that the incident would damage Vietnamese badminton’s reputation.

“The organising board had checked the court, mostly focusing on the lighting and air con system…. Luckily nobody got hurt,” said Nam.

Phan Dinh Phung Sports Hall was built in the 1980s. Local authorities planned to rebuild it in the early 2010s in the form of Build – Transfer (BT). However, the project has been since put on hold due to different reasons.

Nga My