Overpass collapse crushes bus in World Cup city

World Today

Overpass crushes a bus in World Cup city

At least one person died and 10 were injured on Thursday when an overpass collapsed on a bus in the World Cup host city Belo Horizonte.

Live TV images showed what appeared to be a school bus and other vehicles trapped under the rubble. It’s not immediately clear if people are trapped inside those vehicles. Calls to Belo Horizonte’s fire department were not immediately returned.


A woman who was driving a commuter bus trapped by the overpass died, said Capt. Federico Pascual of the Belo Horizonte fire department. The overpass collapsed about 3 miles (5 kilometers) from the Mineirao soccer stadium, which has hosted several World Cup matches in recent weeks and will see the semifinal match next Tuesday.

The accident site is around 3 km (2 miles) from the Mineirao stadium, where a World Cup semi-final match will be held next Tuesday. The stadium has already hosted five games.

A fire department official told GloboNews that at least one person was killed and 10 injured. A spokeswoman for the Belo Horizonte fire department told Reuters there were reports of several injuries, although she would not confirm the death.

The overpass was one of the many infrastructure projects aimed at improving the city’s ailing public transport network. The bridge was to be used as for passenger buses in a system known as BRT/Move, considered a legacy project from the World Cup.

Heavy government spending on the World Cup and long delays in finishing promised infrastructure projects have spurred violent street protests in Brazil over the past year, although they have died down in recent weeks.

Report compiled with information from The Associated Press and Reuters.

Four people dead in overpass collapse in World Cup host city

Reports of 4 dead in overpass collapse in #WorldCup host city Belo Horizonte,


Courtesy of Storyful/ YouTube User:Douglas Ceron/ Facebook User Robson Marinho