at least nine dead when church roof collapses during mass

The accident occurred in the middle of a religious celebration. At least nine people were killed and 40 others injured in Mexico on Sunday (October 1) when the roof of a church collapsed in the town of Ciudad Madero in the northeastern state of Tamaulipas. from the country. According to the state government, which gave this toll, the number of victims could increase. Local media report that at least 20 people are trapped under the rubble of the Santa Cruz parish church.

A member of the Red Cross told the Milenio television channel that the work of rescuers had ended and that specialized teams were expected for a search operation. “final” under the rubble. About 80 people were attending a baptism when the roof of the church suddenly collapsed, he said.

The accident occurred around 2:18 p.m. (local time) when, likely due to a structural failure, the upper part of the church collapsed, according to authorities. The governor of Tamaulipas, Américo Villareal, visited the site “to support rescue operations”he writes on his account. “We are going through a very difficult time”for his part reacted José Armando Alvarez, bishop of the diocese of Tampico, to which the church belongs, in a video posted on social networks.