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RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — A fire Wednesday at a Rio de Janeiro factory that produces costumes for the city's iconic Carnival left 10 people hospitalized, Rio’s state health department said, casting a shadow over preparations for one of the world’s biggest shows.
The victims were rushed away in ambulances and admitted to the hospital for burns to their airways after inhaling toxic smoke. Eight are in serious condition while two are stable, the health department said in a statement.
“There were more than 20 people in there. The fire started when we were sleeping,” said Wesley da Cruz, a 27-year-old carnival worker.
Charles Ferreira, 52, lives behind the factory and said he heard people yelling for help. “We went to see what was happening. I got my motorbike, went to the firefighters and they sent a truck and an ambulance,” Ferreira said.
Around 90 firefighters battled the blaze, rescuing 21 people, Rio’s military fire department said in a statement.
Firefighters rescued workers that were stuck on the top floor by cutting the steel windows and placing a ladder for them to descend. Associated Press video shows them descending as black smoke billowed from the building.
The state’s civil defense has completely closed off the factory and the annex building as the fire has caused damage to the structure and it could collapse, Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes said on X.
The Maximus factory where the fire occurred is one of the most used by samba schools in the lower divisions. Samba school Imperio Serrano is one of those affected.
“At this time, we are focused on ensuring the safety of everyone involved in this accident,” the samba school said on Instagram, adding that further information regarding damages would be released later.
The weeks leading up to Rio’s carnival are often tense, with workers rushing to finalize preparations that have been months in the making in time for the parades.
“The impact of this incident directly affects the planning of Carnival and the entire production chain involved in its realization,” Liga RJ, an association of samba schools, said on Instagram. It added that it would call an extraordinary general assembly to evaluate the situation.
Rio's Labor Prosecutor’s Office said it has opened an inquiry into the working conditions at the factory, citing press reports of workers, including teenagers, sleeping on-site and evidence of degrading labor practices.
In 2011, a fire caused extensive damage at a complex of warehouses in central Rio where the city's top 12 schools were gearing up for Carnival, destroying months' worth of preparations.
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