new accident hits rios carnival party
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

For the second time in two nights

New accident hits Rio's carnival party

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today New accident hits Rio's carnival party

Firefighters assist a reveller of the Unidos da Tijuca samba school
Rio de Janeiro - Arab Today

The glittering revelry of Rio de Janeiro's carnival descended into mayhem again on Tuesday when a freak accident struck a float for the second time in two nights.

Twelve people were injured when the top level of an elaborate three-story float collapsed under the weight of the brightly costumed dancers atop it, crashing onto the crowded platform below.

Police and firefighters rushed to evacuate scantily clad victims from the packed Sambodromo, the elongated stadium that hosts the carnival's headline event: the elite samba school championship parade.

It has been a rough year for Rio's legendary carnival. Another float swerved into the crowd and injured 20 people late Sunday, on the championship's opening night.

But in both cases, organizers decided the show must go on.

- 'Stuck inside' -

Tuesday's accident occurred around 3:00 am (0600 GMT), as members of the Unidos da Tijuca samba school strutted their stuff atop an enormous float dedicated to "New Orleans, the City of Jazz" -- the group's theme for the year.

Slowly, the top floor of the faux-brick float -- designed to resemble a building in the Louisiana city's French Quarter -- tipped to one side and collapsed.

"I was on the platform of the float, to the left side, and suddenly I saw the right side collapse," dancer Raissa Ribeiro said through tears just after exiting the stricken float.

"People fell into the float's interior and some of them got stuck inside the metal structure."

As ambulances rushed to the scene, police struggled to push back dozens of photographers who flocked to snap pictures.

After more than half an hour of chaos, the damaged float was allowed to finish the 700 meter (yard) parade through the Sambodromo, rescue workers still on its roof. That drew applause from the crowd, even as terrified dancers cried on the sidelines.

The carnival's all-time winningest samba school, Portela, then took the floor as if nothing had happened.

"These things happen, but there should be a security review. Carnival's a serious deal. We work hard all year, so when something like this happens, everyone's angry," said Washington Luis, a member of Unidos da Tijuca.

City transport officials vowed to step up safety checks next year.

- 'Life must go on!' -

Sunday night's accident occurred when the Paraiso do Tuiuti samba school's float careened out of control in the rain.

It swerved toward a fence at the entrance to the competition area, trapping several people. Three were seriously injured, including a news photographer who had her leg badly crushed.

Three victims from that accident remain hospitalized, including one on artificial respiration. One remains hospitalized from Tuesday's accident.

The head of the carnival's main organizing body, the Independent League of Samba Schools, called it a "coincidence" that two accidents hit the event in two nights.

"They each had different characteristics," the official, Jorge Castanheira, told Brazilian news site G1.

Another safety scare nearly turned ugly in the early hours of Tuesday. A gold-clad dancer from the Mocidade samba school plunged 1.5 meters (five feet) when her elaborate silver platform collapsed. But she escaped without injury.

The organizers' gritty resolve to carry on with the festival of sparkling costumes, near-naked dancers and pulsating beats seemed fitting for Brazil, where this edition of carnival is an escape from the worst recession in a century and a particularly ugly year in the country's corruption-stained politics.

After the opening-night accident, the announcer had begun the second night's festivities with a tribute to the victims.

Then he exhorted the crowd to set aside such troubles and cut loose.

"Life must go on!"

Source: AFP

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

new accident hits rios carnival party new accident hits rios carnival party

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

new accident hits rios carnival party new accident hits rios carnival party

 



GMT 23:04 2017 Monday ,04 December

Saudi Arabia recalls ambassador to Germany

GMT 02:47 2014 Monday ,17 November

Qatar Library to take part in Conference

GMT 18:17 2018 Friday ,07 September

US Defence Secretary arrives in Kabul

GMT 03:28 2018 Sunday ,21 January

Emirates throws Airbus A380 a lifeline

GMT 15:20 2017 Wednesday ,20 December

Oman Arab Bank launches advanced automation system

GMT 04:56 2017 Thursday ,22 June

ASEAN journalists conclude silk road media journey

GMT 08:08 2015 Thursday ,05 November

UAE media has matured, delivered remarkable successes

GMT 22:37 2016 Thursday ,17 November

Japan aims to increase food exports to GCC

GMT 08:40 2013 Saturday ,02 February

Saladin

GMT 00:12 2016 Sunday ,01 May

December 21 - January 18

GMT 05:35 2017 Wednesday ,25 October

Rio policeman who killed Spanish tourist charged

GMT 01:15 2014 Friday ,24 January

Little Known Facts

GMT 09:03 2013 Tuesday ,09 July

Fathy Abdel Wahab works on social issues drama

GMT 19:13 2017 Sunday ,16 April

Iraqi MP calls government to cut oil from Jordan

GMT 21:38 2017 Wednesday ,12 July

Israeli occupation forces arrest 21 Palestinians

GMT 04:59 2015 Wednesday ,28 October

Saudi blogger flogging to resume

GMT 14:24 2016 Wednesday ,14 December

Wonder Woman loses UN job after protests

GMT 14:28 2017 Saturday ,13 May

Tunisia can repay 53% of its debts
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday