Flyover collapses in Brazil World Cup host city

From BBC World

A flyover has collapsed onto vehicles in the Brazilian World Cup host city of Belo Horizonte, killing at least one.

The bridge, which was under construction, fell onto traffic on a busy highway.

The front of a commuter bus was crushed along with two apparently unoccupied construction lorries. A car was also reported crushed. It is unclear if people remain trapped.

The south-eastern city is due to host a World Cup semi-final match next week.

A woman who was driving the bus was killed when the flyover collapsed, the Associated Press news agency quotes firefighter Federico Pascual as saying.

Brazil’s GloboNews 24-hour news channel reports that at least 19 people were injured.

Aerial shot of bus trapped under fallen underpass in Belo Horizonte on 3 July

Emergency officials say the driver of the bus was killed in the incident

“When I saw the flyover falling down, I feared the worst would happen, that the bridge would turn on top of our bus,” Renata Soares, who said she was sitting at the back of the yellow bus that was crushed, told GloboNews.

Another witness speaking to the channel, Daniel Magalhaes, said that the moment the bridge collapsed felt “like an earthquake. The ground shook violently. I heard a very loud bang”.

Fire brigade spokesman Edgard Estevo da Silva told reporters that a car was crushed in the incident, and was “completely under” the collapsed flyover, the AFP news agency reports.

The scene of the accident is near the busy district of Lagoa da Pampulha and the Mineirao Stadium, which has played host to several World Cup matches.

The unfinished flyover was part of the World Cup infrastructure plan aimed at improving Belo Horizonte’s public transport system.

Brazil’s preparations for the World Cup were marred by accidents and missed deadlines. At least seven people were killed working on stadiums prior to the start of the tournament.

Last month, a worker was killed after a beam fell during construction of a monorail in Brazil’s biggest city, Sao Paulo.

For more on this story go to: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-28155216