Concrete weakness found in Paris terminal collapse

Weaknesses in the concrete used for the roof of a futuristic Paris airport terminal were the main cause of its collapse on May 23, killing four people, an official report said yesterday.

The initial findings by an investigative commission did not apportion blame or comment on the future of the terminal, which was built at a cost of €750 million and could be razed if its structure is fundamentally flawed.

The Transport Ministry said it was still not completely clear why the accident happened at Terminal 2E of Charles De Gaulle airport more than two years after it was built.

"The view of the commission is that the main cause of the sudden collapse is linked to the perforation of the concrete roof by the struts (supporting it)," the ministry said of the initial findings.

"It is likely that this perforation was facilitated by the prior and gradual weakening of the concrete," it added.

The terminal was designed to handle 10 million passengers a year. Permanent closure of the showcase building would be a big blow to the finances and image of operator Aeroports de Paris (ADP) as it prepares for partial privatisation.