The community of Maricá, a municipality in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is mourning a tragic incident involving one of its most popular holiday attractions.
Every year, Maricá installs a 56-meter-tall Christmas tree, but this time, the festive decoration could not withstand a severe storm that hit the area, and the tree collapsed.
The incident at Lago de Araçatiba claimed the life of a worker involved in assembling the structure, 21-year-old Vinícius dos Santos Abreu.
According to the local government, Dos Santos was rushed to Hospital Conde Modesto Leal but was pronounced dead before arriving. Two other workers were also injured in the accident and were taken to Hospital Municipal Dr. Ernesto "Che" Guevara for treatment.
Authorities confirmed that emergency teams, including Civil Defense, Municipal Guard, Traffic Department, and firefighters, responded immediately to the scene to tend to the victims.
Despite the property damage and loss of Dos Santos, officials assured the public that there were no missing persons and that the surviving victims sustained no life-threatening injuries. In fact, one of the injured workers has already been discharged and is recovering at home.
The Civil Defense had issued a storm alert around 3:45 p.m., prompting the company responsible for assembling the tree to begin evacuating workers.
"The workers were caught off-guard by the arrival of a storm with strong winds and heavy rain that toppled the structure within minutes," the local government explained.
@rtvenoticias Fall3ce un trabajador de 21 años tras desplomarse un árbol de Navidad de 56 metros de altura, metálico y flotante, cerca de Rio de Janeiro. Las tormentas de este lunes dejaron a otros dos trabajadores h3ridos por la caída de un árbol en el lago Araçatiba. #brasil #riodejaneiro #navidad #accidentelaboral #latinoamerica #noticiastiktok
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The Christmas tree, a centerpiece of Maricá's holiday festivities, was not only massive but also featured a platform where visitors could take photos with the stunning display. Its grand unveiling, originally scheduled for Wednesday, December 18, has been postponed in the wake of the accident.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the company's safety protocols and actions leading up to the collapse. Meanwhile, the local government has extended support to the victims' families.
Meanwhile, both government officials and the Maricá community have expressed deep sorrow over the tragic event.
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