Fire breaks out at Rio de Janeiro Olympic Park; no injuries reported

RIO DE JANEIRO — A fire erupted early on Wednesday at the Olympic Park velodrome in Rio de Janeiro, leading to a swift response from approximately 60 firefighters, as confirmed by authorities.

According to the Rio state military fire department, the fire has been contained and is mainly concentrated in the fabric roof of the venue. Fortunately, there have been no injuries reported, and the interior of the building, including the Olympic Museum, remains unharmed.

While the cause of the fire is currently under investigation, it is worth noting that this is not the first instance of a roof fire at the facility. In 2017, two similar incidents were attributed to paper sky lanterns falling onto the roof.

Since the 2016 Summer Games, where it hosted track cycling events, the Velodrome has been crucial for Brazil’s national cycling and weightlifting teams as a primary training facility.

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