The roof on the main stadium for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Canada collapsed under a layer of snow last week.

The inflated signature roof on the 60,000-seat British Columbia Place Stadium in Vancouver was torn in a storm last Friday, forcing staff to deflate the structure. There were no injuries reported, although the stadium, which was closed to the public at the time, had to be evacuated.

The incident has raised questions over the future of the 20-year old building, which has been designated as the venue for the 2010 medal ceremony and other events.

The stadium’s managers have said that the tear occurred in a single roof panel, which could be replaced. However, since the incident, water has begun to accumulate inside the structure.

Howard Crosley, general manager of the stadium, said: “We are currently assessing the damage. Our major concern right now is the water accumulation if it continues to rain and snow, but we are addressing this issue.”

The structure is formed from two layers of fibreglass woven membranes, with a 1.2m space between them.

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