Ten people have died in a fire at the youth team training ground of Brazilian football club Flamengo in Rio de Janeiro.
Members of the youth side are believed to be among the dead. Fire officials said a further three teenagers, aged 14, 15 and 16, had been taken to hospital with injuries, The Independent reports.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The BBC says that the fire at the “Urubu’s Nest” complex began at around 5.10am local time (7.10am GMT) and was extinguished by 7.30am. No information has been given about the possible cause of the blaze.
‘Pray for everyone’
Flamengo are one of the biggest football clubs in Brazil, producing a number of world-class players who have gone on to sign for European teams.
One such player is Vinicius Junior, now with Real Madrid. After hearing about the fire, the 18-year-old tweeted: “Such sad news. Pray for everyone. Strength, strength, strength.”
A statement from his Spanish club said: “Real Madrid CF is saddened to learn of the death of players and staff at Flamengo following a fire at their training facility.
“The club would like to extend its condolences to the families and friends of the victims, and wishes the injured parties a swift recovery. Real Madrid stands in solidarity with Flamengo, their fans, and Brazilian football as a whole.”
Rival support
A number of Flamengo’s biggest rivals from the Brazilian top-flight have also sent messages of support.
Botafogo FR tweeted: “Today there is no rivalry, no dispute, no victory. We are all defeated and the pain is too great. Force to the @Flamengo victims and all the families of the people involved in the Buzzard’s Nest tragedy.”
Corinthians said: “We’re in shock with the tragic fire in the Urubu nest. In this moment of pain and mourning, we externate all our solidarity with the @Flamengo supporters and the relatives and friends of the victims. #ForçaFlamengo.”
Santos Futebol Clube added: “All our solidarity with @Flamengo and to the victims of this morning’s serious accident.”
-
5 museum-grade cartoons about Trump's Smithsonian purgeCartoons Artists take on institutional rebranding, exhibit interpretation, and more
-
Settling the West Bank: a death knell for a Palestine state?In the Spotlight The reality on the ground is that the annexation of the West Bank is all but a done deal
-
Crossword: August 23, 2025The Week's daily crossword puzzle
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designationThe Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across SyriaTHE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weaponsThe Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarrayIn the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
