Fire hits Rio de Janeiro's carnival district

8th February 2011

Travellers visiting this year’s carnival in Rio de Janeiro could be disappointed after fires destroyed warehouses where floats are made

At least four warehouses, a samba school and a carnival museum have been damaged in the blaze at the carnival district of Samba City.

The carnival, due to begin on 4 March, attracts up to 700,000 international tourists each year, mainly from Europe and the US.

According to reports, the fire erupted well before employees were due at work. No victims have been reported so far.

Around 90% of costumes in the damaged warehouses have been destroyed, according to Brazilian newspaper O Globo.

Organisers have vowed that the carnival will go ahead as planned, even though there will not be time to recreate everything lost in the fire.

The president of the samba group alliance, whose schools perform at the event, said: "We are heartbroken. Everything was practically ready for the carnival."

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