Town remembers ice rink tragedy victims

About 1,000 people, among them relatives and rescue workers, packed into a memorial service for the 15 people killed when a skating rink’s roof collapsed in southern Germany.

Twelve children were among the victims – all of them local residents – when the 30-year-old building in the Alpine spa of Bad Reichenhall collapsed on January 2.

Rescue teams worked for nearly three days in hopes of finding survivors in the wreckage.

Roman Catholic and Protestant clergy joined rescue workers to light a candle for each of the 15 victims as their names and ages were read out while a bell tolled.

The ecumenical service at the town’s St Zeno Basilica also featured prayers for the relatives of the victims and for the 34 people who were injured.

“This tragic accident has left deep wounds,” said Cardinal Friedrich Wetter, the Catholic archbishop of Munich.