Brazil: 9 Dead, 31 Injured After Concrete Slab Collapsed on Row of Seats at Campaign Event

A campaign meeting between two congressional candidates and 64 workers inside an auditorium in Sao Paulo, Brazil turned into a disaster when a concrete slab collapsed on top of the bleachers.

Sadly, nine people died, while 31 others were injured, including the two politicians. Four men and five women were confirmed to have died in the incident, but authorities have yet to release their names.

According to Daily Mail, the tragedy happened at the Multiteiner warehouse's auditorium in the municipality of Itapecerica da Serra on Tuesday morning. At least three people reportedly suffered severe injuries and were taken to a hospital.

Rescuers in Brazil Pull People From the Rubble

The incident reportedly happened at around 8:55 a.m. local time, with various warehouse workers gathered to talk to the two congressional candidates.

Around 64 workers and politicians, Jones Donizette and Ely Santos, attended the campaign meeting. The two politicians, who were running for congressional seats, were both hospitalized.

One of the warehouse workers who participated in the political meeting was a painter named Alexandre Moraes. He told G1 that he was in his seat when the auditorium plunged to the level below.

"Everyone was on top, and it collapsed. I just saw it falling. I got stuck, and they helped me out," Moraes noted.

Around 80 first responders rushed to the accident scene and participated in rescue operations. Sniffer dogs were also deployed to help find people still trapped under the rubble.

It was soon reported that all of the victims caught up in the collapse were accounted for at around 4 p.m. the same day.

Workers at the Multiteiner warehouse also helped out in the rescue operation. However, nine of their compatriots still died, with many more injured.

A former employee told UOL Noticias that he knew all those who died. Another worker said that his sister was among the casualties.

One Congressional Candidate in Brazil Injured While the Other Was Sent to Hospital

Jones Donizette of the Solidarity party was rescued from the rubble and seen bloodied while wearing a dirty and blood-stained shirt. A statement from his camp said he and others were trapped under the rubble but were lucky to have been rescued alive.

Four of the candidate's entourage were also buried under the rubble, but they were rescued and taken immediately to a hospital.

His campaign team said that Donizette sympathizes with the victims' families of this disaster. He also asked for prayers for those hospitalized.

While Donizette managed to walk away a bit bloodied, the other candidate, Ely Santos of the Republican party, was not that lucky.

When she was pulled from the rubble, she received medical treatment. However, unlike the other candidate, she was sent to a hospital for further treatment. UOL Noticias reported that the extent of her injuries is still unknown.

However, she still managed to post on social media following the incident. Photos from the incident show her clearly distressed and in pain as rescuers tended to her injuries.

The Itaceperica da Serra city government is now investigating the incident and has said that while the state environmental agency was in charge of issuing the warehouse's operational permit, the facility has been "improperly altered."

The city government noted that the auditorium seating was located on the mezzanine level, which has been "improperly altered."

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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