The 2,000-year-old House of the Gladiators in the ruins of ancient Pompeii has collapsed, sparking fresh debate on whether the Italian government is doing enough to safeguard a world treasure. The stone house, on the main street of the famous archaeological site and measuring about 80 square metres, collapsed just after dawn while Pompeii was closed to visitors. Custodians discovered the collapse when they opened the UNESCO World Heritage site for the day. The building was damaged by bombs during World War II and was restored in the late 1940s. Officials speculated that the collapse may have been caused by heavy rains. The structure was believed to be where gladiators gathered and trained and used as a club house before going to battle in a nearby amphitheatre in the city that was destroyed by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.