Incident Background
At noon on October 19, 2020, at Shanghai New International Expo Centre, a stand collapse accident occurred at the China International Toy and Educational Equipment Exhibition (China Toy Expo), which had opened only one day earlier. The collapsed booth E3F21 belonged to Langsheng Commercial (Changsha) Co., Ltd., which mainly deals in imported infant and child products. The accident caused multiple injuries. On-site witnesses said the collapsed stand crushed a group of people, with multiple women injured; fortunately, colleagues nearby promptly rescued those trapped.
Key Information
The China Toy Expo was first held in 2002, hosted by the China Toy and Juvenile Products Association. It is held alongside CKE China Baby Expo and CLE China Licensing Expo, and takes place in Shanghai every October. It is Asia's largest international and professional comprehensive trade platform. This edition of the expo had 2,000 exhibitors, 3,600 brands, and 70,000 buyers, covering 30 countries and regions and 20 major production areas. After the accident, it spread rapidly in exhibition industry groups, and industry insiders expressed professional opinions. Zhu Hui, head of Jiacheng Exhibition, analyzed that the back wall was too thin (normal thickness should be between 50cm and 100cm) and the keel density was insufficient, which was a typical case of cutting corners. Liang He, a professional in truss construction, pointed out that a single wooden wall is the most dangerous, and that many lights make it prone to leaning forward. Chen Huadong, head of Chunbo International, believed that the wooden structure of the panel wall had no hidden iron connections inside, and that hanging points attached to the wooden structure would break the wood over time; at the same time, old wooden boards are heavier, increasing the risk of collapse. The accident occurred at noon on the second day of the expo, when foot traffic was highest. At present, no one has come forward to take responsibility. There may be three causes: lax safety assessment by the organizer, exhibitors compressing budget and time, and exhibition construction companies cutting corners.
Related Services
As a professional exhibition design and construction service provider, Towin Expo always puts safety first. During stand construction, we strictly follow industry standards: back wall thickness not less than 50cm, iron structures used as hanging points, keel density meeting standards, and no use of old wooden boards. We provide full-process services from design to construction, including exhibition design, stand construction, exhibition hall space planning, on-site delivery at exhibitions, and brand display, ensuring that every stand structure is stable, safe, and reliable. Choosing Towin Expo means choosing professionalism and peace of mind.
Industry Observation
Stand collapse incidents are not isolated cases. In 2020, multiple accidents already occurred at Shanghai New International Expo Centre, exposing loopholes in safety management for exhibition construction. Stampede incidents at exhibitions also occur from time to time. For example, the 2015 Shanghai Spring Festival Agricultural and Sideline Products Joint Exhibition was canceled due to the Bund stampede, while the New Year goods shopping festival during the same period increased its security personnel to 100 and prohibited sudden price reduction promotions to prevent crowds from rushing in. These incidents remind us that exhibition safety requires joint efforts from multiple parties: organizers should strictly review design drawings and conduct safety assessments; exhibitors should not compress budget and time; and exhibition construction companies must comply with standards and eliminate cutting corners. Only by establishing a complete safety supervision system can the personal safety of exhibition participants be guaranteed.
Content Summary
The 2020 China Toy Expo stand collapse accident was a typical safety accident caused by cutting corners and lax supervision. The accident caused multiple injuries and triggered high industry attention to exhibition construction safety. Towin Expo calls on all practitioners to value safety standards, strictly control quality from design to construction, and avoid similar tragedies from recurring. We will also continue to provide customers with safe and reliable exhibition display solutions with a professional attitude and rigorous processes.