Fire kills 10 at Brazil soccer academy
fans and neighbors gathered, some in prayer. “This is the worst tragedy to happen to the club in its 123 years.”
He did not take questions from reporters who also were outside the complex but added: “The most important thing right now is to minimize the suffering of these families.”
The cause of the fire was not known, but Claudio Castro, vice governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro, said authorities were looking at the possibility of a short circuit in an air conditioning unit. It is currently summer in Brazil.
In a statement, the city said the area that burned was registered for parking, not as a dormitory. The statement said an investigation into the licensing process was under way.
Latin America’s largest nation suffers from shoddy infrastructure, often exacerbated by lax oversight and endemic corruption.
Sebastian Rodriguez, the uncle of one of the players who died, 15-yearold Samuel Thomas Rosa, said his nephew never complained about the conditions.
“He never told me anything bad about the training center,” Rodriguez said. “He liked the environment and his teammates there.”
Rio de Janeiro Mayor Marcelo Crivella ordered three days of mourning, and President Jair Bolsonaro issued a statement lamenting the fire had taken “the young lives at the beginning of pursuing their professional dreams.”
Passion for soccer runs deep in Brazil, and as news of the tragedy spread, many of the world’s best players and top officials expressed condolences.
“It’s a sad day for Brazilian soccer,” tweeted Pele, the country’s most famous player.