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Fire at Brazilian soccer team complex leaves 10 dead, 3 injured

Published:Friday | February 8, 2019 | 9:22 AM
AP photo

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — A fire tore through the sleeping quarters of a development league for one of Brazil’s most popular professional soccer clubs on Friday, killing 10 people who were most likely players and injuring three others, authorities said.

Firefighters were called in just after 5 a.m. local time to battle a blaze at the sprawling Ninho de Urubu training ground of the Flamengo soccer club in Rio de Janeiro’s western region, a fire official told The Associated Press.

Beatriz Busch, the public health secretary for the state of Rio de Janeiro, said two of the injured were in stable condition and one was in critical condition.

“Those who died were athletes,” she said, adding that their identities had not been released and the cause of the fire was unknown.

“Flamengo is in mourning” the team posted on its Twitter account.

Messages to Flamengo officials were not immediately answered.

The three injured were 14, 15 and 16 years old, said the fire official, who asked his name not be used due to his agency’s rules.

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