Rio’s Carnival Props Warehouses Destroyed
A FIRE SWEPT THROUGH THE DISTRICT known as “Samba City” in Rio de Janiero Monday morning, destroying a large portion of the warehouses where the floats, costumes and props for the city’s famous Carnival parade are stored.
Reuters
Just one month away from the renowned Mardi Gras street party and parade that the city is noted for, a fire started in an upstairs classroom (according to early speculation) and spread quickly through the complex of parade-related float and prop designer/builders.
While the firefighters were battling the spreading blaze, workers were pulling floats out of the storage barns along with as many costumes that they could manage in attempts to salvage what they could.
AP photos
“It’s an unimaginable loss,” Jorge Castanheira, the president of Carnival organizing body Liesa, told Globo News.
At the time of this posting the fire is under control, but the full extent of the destruction is not yet known. At least four of the warehouses have been completely burned out and there may be more.
AP
Along with the float construction operations and prop storage, the buildings house the samba schools where the dance routines are taught for the famous Carnival show.
CNN has an early report HERE.
ABC News (Australia) has MORE.
Globo News (Rio de Janiero) has the story HERE (Portugese).
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