Pompeii gladiator facility collapses

POMPEII, Italy, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- A ruin where Roman gladiators once trained collapsed in the ancient Italian city of Pompeii, officials said.

The archaeological superintendent of Pompeii said the collapse occurred around dawn Saturday when the site was closed to the public so no one was injured.

Pompeii was preserved in volcanic ash in 79 A.D. and is a major tourist attraction as well as an important historic treasure. The gladiator center, known as Schola Armaturarum Juventus Pompeiani, covered 430 square feet and was visible to tourists along one of Pompeii's main streets.

The cause of the collapse was not known but Britain's Sky News said recent heavy rains were suspected of being a contributing factor.