Children and teacher injured in school ceiling collapse

Six children and their teacher were injured today when a large chunk of plaster ceiling crashed onto them at an exclusive private school in Sydney, Australia.

Frances Booth, the acting headmistress, said a section of ceiling in a primary school classroom had fallen in at the exclusive private Ascham school, which overlooks Sydney Harbour.

Booth said the debris hit the teacher and six children aged 11 and 12. Their injuries were not believed to be serious.

“Ascham is deeply concerned at this incident,” Booth said.

“We have closed the building and have called in structural engineers to identify the cause of the collapse and recommend measures to make the building secure again.”