Poland weeps for Katowice dead

By Adam Easton
BBC News, Katowice, Poland

People continue to bring candles to the site of the disaster

Poland is mourning the loss of the 67 people killed in the Katowice Trade Centre collapse - one of its worst disasters in recent years.

"Poland weeps" says the front page headline of the best-selling Fakt newspaper.

Television presenters are dressed in black and flags are flying at half-mast during three days of national mourning declared by Polish President Lech Kaczynski.

Buckled and torn

Outside the trade centre, people have been lighting candles and leaving flowers in the deep snow.

A few metres away the blue and white corrugated entrance to the building is buckled and torn, ripped apart by the weight of the collapsed roof.

Survivors have been describing their experiences

From above, the scene looks even worse. Two-thirds of the roof has disappeared. Twisted metal girders poke out of the snow.

With overnight temperatures falling to below -15C, rescue workers say there is no chance of finding any more survivors.

Some of those lucky enough to escape the disaster have described the moment after the roof suddenly caved in.

"I saw many, many dead people", said 22-year-old Bogumil Koziol.

"One man - I will not forget it. He had a cell phone - he was dead of course. His cell phone was ringing non-stop but he will never answer this phone."

State funeral

Others like police Sergeant Tadeusz Bartosik, 36, did not make it out. He was on duty during the pigeon racers' convention.

When he saw the roof begin to cave in he managed to rescue a child. He rushed back in to save a woman but was caught when another section of the roof gave way.

Government officials have said that all the victims will be given a state funeral. They have also announced a special fund of 500,000 euros for the families of the dead and injured.

There are disagreements over the potential cause of the collapse

Now many people are asking how a building only seven years old could have collapsed in a country used to heavy snow and freezing conditions.

It has not snowed in the region for more than a week but the snow and ice has remained in the sub-zero temperatures.

Some of it can still be seen on the section of the roof that remains.

The government has said there was half a metre of snow and ice on the roof before it collapsed but the building's management says all the snow had been cleared.

They say the disaster could have been caused by faults in the building's construction or by earth movement due to the many coal mines in the region.