According to BBC, the collapse had been caused by either shoddy construction, heavy snow piling up on the roof — or most likely a combination of both. The park was packed with swimmers at the time of the cave-in, and some victims were trapped underneath rubble in the freezing conditions, with no chance of being rescued in time. A criminal investigation was swiftly enacted to see how much faulty construction and corruption were at the heart of the disaster. Initial reports said the roof caved in after an explosion, but this was quickly dispelled and likely just a symptom of paranoia after the city had suffered a terrorist attack a week or so prior (via Tulsa World).

The grisly disaster, with its piles of glass shards and concrete beams, had destroyed what was then Moscow’s largest water park. Heavy snowfall is a regular occurrence for Moscow winters, and architects need to consider this when designing large buildings in the area. The dangers of ignoring this very real danger were never made more apparent by this tragedy that claimed dozens of lives and forever changed hundreds more.