Several people were electrocuted due to a fallen power line at a pre-Carnival street parade in Brazil.
According to witnesses, a high-voltage power line sparked and fell onto the crowd on Sunday night after it had been hit with metallic streamers and fireworks that are commonly tossed during the Carnival parade.
"We have at least 16 dead, among them teenagers," said a police spokesman in the town of Bandeira do Sul in Minas Gerais state, north of Rio de Janeiro, where the accident occurred. "Most were hit by the line but it's possible the current passed from person to person because the crowd was so dense."
Police say that at least 54 others were injured and several others died as a result of the tragic accident. Electricity and phone services were down for the entire town for at least six hours.
The townspeople had been following a sound truck that was playing loud music when the incident occurred in front of the town’s main plaza. The Carnival officially opens on Friday, but street parades prior to the main festivities are a common occurrence.
This is the third known tragedy to strike Brazil’s Carnival festivities this year.
On Feb. 20, a 21-year-old woman died in Rio de Janeiro after falling 13 feet from a Carnival sound truck and hitting her head on the pavement. On Feb. 7, a fire occurred at a warehouse in central Rio de Janeiro where samba groups create their floats, costumes and props. While there were no deaths during the fire, the damage cost millions of dollars in losses to the groups.
It is important to always try to remain safe during street parties, especially those like the Carnival which attract thousands of people. If you or a loved one have been hurt in a similar incident or due to other circumstances, contact an accident lawyer in your area today to file a claim.
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