Two nine-year-old students were injured on Wednesday at the 1st Elementary School of Porto Rafti, Greece, when a large section of the ceiling detached and fell during class. A piece of plaster measuring approximately 1.5 square meters struck the children sitting at the back and side desks.

The girl sustained scrapes on her nose, while the boy suffered injuries to his back. Following the incident, the school was immediately closed and remains shut while repairs are carried out.

Previous Warnings and Safety Checks

The incident has reignited concerns over the safety of school buildings in Greece. For the past two years, both the Parents’ Association and the teachers’ union had formally warned the local education authorities about the building’s potential hazards.

Just eight days prior, the Organization for Earthquake Planning and Protection (EPPO) conducted a preliminary inspection to check for visible cracks. Officials reported verbally that the school was safe to continue operating. After Wednesday’s collapse, the OASP has now taken over responsibility for inspecting the building more thoroughly.

The accident occurred a day before nationwide education-related demonstrations in Athens, Thessaloniki, and more than 40 other cities, where protesters highlighted poor conditions in school facilities among other issues.