RIO DE JANEIRO (AFP) – Rio's famed Carnival due to be held next month was dealt a devastating blow when a fire destroyed workshops containing some of the floats and thousands of intricate costumes made for the event.
AFP via Yahoo! News
Rio Carnival samba warehouses burn
Rio de Janeiro's world-famed Carnival has gone up in flames for thousands of people who spent nearly a year preparing for the spectacular event.
Seamstresses, set designers and musicians watched in tears on Monday (local time) as firefighters struggled to control a blaze that raged through warehouses holding many of the elaborate costumes and floats they had assembled for this year's samba parade.
Stuff
Fire destroys Rio carnival venue
Rio's famed Carnival to be held next month has been dealt a devastating blow with fire destroying workshops containing some of the floats and thousands of intricate costumes made for the event.
'We are heartbroken,' said Jorge Castanheira, president of the League of Samba Schools which puts on the yearly event. 'Everything was practically ready for the Carnival.'
'A dream has been thrown in the trash. Months of work, and it's all lost,' one costume worker, Jose da Silva Junior, lamented to reporters.
Several hours after Monday's blaze gutted part of Samba City, a facility dedicated to Rio's Carnival preparations, around 100 firefighters managed to bring the situation under control.
Sky News Australia
Fire in Rio Damages Carnaval Preparations and Dims Hopes of Many Performers
SÃO PAULO, Brazil — An early-morning fire in a warehouse district on Monday destroyed the costumes and dimmed the hopes of at least three prominent samba schools competing in Rio de Janeiro’s annual Carnaval parade. But city officials vowed that the event would go forward.
New York Times
Fire hits Rio de Janeiro's carnival district in Brazil
A fire has broken out in the carnival district of the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, destroying more than 8,000 costumes prepared for the event.
BBC
CNN
RIO DE JANEIRO -- A fire Monday gutted warehouses holding many of the elaborate, feather-and-sequin costumes and extravagant floats for Rio's Carnival parade, destroying the dreams and hard work of thousands of mostly poor Brazilians who toil year-round to stage one of world's most spectacular celebrations.
Los Angeles Times
RIO DE JANEIRO - Rio de Janeiro's Carnival preparations were thrown into chaos on Monday after a fire destroyed thousands of costumes less than a month before Brazil's annual festival of hedonism.
Canada.com
Fire destroys Rio carnival venue
BBC
Fire hits Rio's Samba City
A fire in Rio de Janeiro on Monday claimed a large portion of an area known as Samba City, where the floats and decorations for the city's carnival celebration are created, CNN affiliate Record TV reported.CNN
Fire in Rio destroys Carnival costumes and floats
RIO DE JANEIRO -- A fire Monday gutted warehouses holding many of the elaborate, feather-and-sequin costumes and extravagant floats for Rio's Carnival parade, destroying the dreams and hard work of thousands of mostly poor Brazilians who toil year-round to stage one of world's most spectacular celebrations.
Fire destroys part of Rio's Carnival center
A large fire swept through the center of Carnival preparations in Rio de Janeiro on Monday, destroying hundreds of costumes and floats less than a month ahead of Brazil's annual festival of hedonism.Los Angeles Times
Fire destroys Rio's Samba City ahead of carnival
The disaster occurred just about a month before this year's carnival was due to begin.
"We are heartbroken," said Jorge Castanheria, president of the League of Samba Schools. "Everything was practically ready for the carnival."
Telegraph.co.uk
Telegraph.co.uk
Fire throws Rio's Carnival preparations into chaos
RIO DE JANEIRO - Rio de Janeiro's Carnival preparations were thrown into chaos on Monday after a fire destroyed thousands of costumes less than a month before Brazil's annual festival of hedonism.
Canada.com
Fire destroys Rio carnival venue
RIO DE JANEIRO : Rio's famed Carnival due to be held next month was dealt a devastating blow on Monday when a fire destroyed workshops containing floats and thousands of intricate costumes made for the event.
Channel NewsAsia
Rio Carnival spirit not gutted by blaze
Rio de Janeiro - A large fire swept through Rio de Janeiro's Carnival centre on Monday, destroying thousands of costumes and floats and throwing preparations for Brazil's annual festival of hedonism into chaos.
Pretoria News
Fire in Rio Destroys Thousands of Carnival Hopes
Warehouses Holding Carnival Costumes and Floats in Rio de Janeiro Go Up in Flames, Destroying Year's Work for Many
