Flamengo football club: Ten die in Rio de Janeiro fire
A fire has engulfed a dormitory at the youth team training centre of one of Brazil’s biggest football clubs, killing 10 people.
Three people were also injured when the fire broke out at Ninho de Urubu, the training ground of Flamengo football club, in Rio de Janeiro.
All 10 victims are said by local media to be young athletes. The cause of the fire is not yet known.
Flamengo is one of Brazil’s biggest and best-known clubs internationally.
They currently sit at second place in Brazil’s Série A table – and have won the league five times.
Former player and Brazil football legend, Ronaldinho, offered his condolences for the “terrible tragedy” in an early tweet on Friday morning.
He published the club’s crest in black-and-white alongside the message.
What do we know so far?
According to the G1 news portal, the fire began at 05:10 (07:10 GMT) and was extinguished by 07:30.
None of the victims has been identified but players aged between 14 and 17 are known to have used the dormitory.
Those injured in the blaze and were taken to a nearby hospital, firefighters say.
The area has been hit by severe storms and heavy rain in recent days.
The weather may have left the facility without water or electricity when the fire struck, reports on G1 say.
Who are Flamengo?
The club’s most prominent former players include World Cup winners Ronaldinho, Bebeto and Romario.
As well as being one of Brazil’s most successful football clubs, Flamengo also has basketball, rowing, swimming and volleyball teams.
In a tweet on Friday, the team said it was “in mourning”.
The Ninho de Urubu (“Vulture’s Nest” – so named because the symbol of the club is a vulture) centre underwent a major expansion last year, with the club spending 23m reals (£4.8m, $6.2m), Reuters news agency reports.
The site features accommodation for young players, several pitches, an aquatic park, a gym, a medical centre and a mini stadium.
The club were due to play their rivals Fluminense on Saturday. The game has been postponed, and other clubs have expressed their condolences.
Real Madrid player Vinícius Júnior, who also played for Flamengo, tweeted a crying emoji, writing, “Such sad news. Pray for everyone. Strength strength, strength.”
Just over two years ago, Brazil’s football world was rocked by disaster when a plane carrying top football team Chapecoense crashed in Colombia.
Of the 77 people on board, 71 lost their lives. BBC News
