Roof collapses at Canadian shopping centre

A roof has partially collapsed at a busy shopping centre in Canada, prompting an evacuation and a search for anyone who might have been injured.

A portion of the roof that serves as a parking area crumbled yesterday, exposing metal and concrete supports at the Algo Centre Mall in Elliot Lake.

The centre had been bustling with weekend shoppers.

Joe Drazil, a Zellers store employee, says a few cars appear to have fallen through the gaping hole near escalators.

He says everybody was cleared from the centre.

The collapse also triggered a gas leak and prompted emergency officials to shut off the centre’s power.

Provincial police say they cannot confirm whether anyone is hurt or missing.

Mayor Rick Hamilton has declared a state of emergency.