10 teenage players have died in the fire
The teenage footballers who died in a fire at the youth team training centre of Flamengo, one of Brazil’s biggest football clubs, have been named.
All of the victims were aged between 14 and 16 and had been staying at the Ninho de Urubu training complex in Rio de Janeiro at the time the fire started.
An investigation into its cause has started and although there has been no official word, one of the young players who managed to escape the blaze has said it came from an air conditioning unit.
“The air conditioner caught fire and I ran out,” said Felipe Cardoso, a member of Flamengo’s under-17 side. “Thank God I managed to run and I’m still alive.”
The fire, which is believed to have started shortly after 5am local time, is also said to have injured three more of the club’s young players, one seriously. He has since been taken to hospital for treatment.
According to local media, the ten victims are:
- Arthur Vinicius Silva
- Áthila Paixao
- Bernardo Pisetta
- Christian Esmerio
- Vítor Isaías
- Pablo Henrique
- Jorge Eduardo
- Samuel Thomas
- Gedson Santos
- Rykelmo Viana
Several of Brazil’s most prominent footballing figures have sent their condolences to the families of the victims.
A tweet from Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar simply read ‘my sentiments’ and was accompanied by an image of the Flamengo badge.
Meus sentimentos 😥🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/ncT15ws4Tm
— Neymar Jr (@neymarjr) February 8, 2019
Pele also described it as ‘a very sad day for Brazilian football’.
Meu dia começou com as notícias sobre o incêndio no CT do @Flamengo – um lugar onde jovens perseguem seus sonhos. É um dia muito triste para o futebol brasileiro. https://t.co/yQ3XmyxehS
— Pelé (@Pele) February 8, 2019
