• The roof of the Fengyang Drum Tower partially collapsed, with no injuries reported.
• The tower, built in 1375, recently underwent renovations costing nearly $420,000.
• Investigation launched to examine renovation quality and contractor practices.
• Concerns over construction standards have been reignited following this incident.
• The Drum Tower is a key cultural relic, attracting many tourists to the region.

The roof of the historic Fengyang Drum Tower, built in 1375 during the Ming Dynasty, partially collapsed on Monday evening, dropping hundreds of tiles onto the ground below where visitors had gathered. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, according to the local culture and tourism authorities. This dramatic event occurred shortly after the completion of a significant renovation project last year, raising immediate concerns about the quality of the work performed, according to BBC and New York Times.

The renovations, which reportedly cost approximately 2.9 million yuan (around $402,600), have come under scrutiny as the local media highlighted allegations of prior mismanagement by the contractor involved. This included claims of illegally subcontracting work to unqualified personnel. The concern over construction and renovation practices has been exacerbated by similar past incidents, such as a fire that severely damaged an ancestral hall in Anhui during renovation in 2015, as reported by South China Morning Post and New York Times.

An investigation by local authorities has commenced to determine the causes of the collapse, with particular attention to the structure's design and the renovation process. Previous inspections had also raised alarms; a December drone inspection reportedly found cracks in the roof, further suggesting potential oversights in safety throughout the recent renovations, according to BBC and South China Morning Post.

This incident has reignited public discourse around so-called "tofu" buildings, a term used to describe poorly constructed structures susceptible to collapse. Reflecting on this broader issue, instances in the past have highlighted serious construction flaws within the country, prompting calls for more stringent building regulations, as discussed in reports by BBC and South China Morning Post.