Eighth person dies in preparations for Brazil World Cup
A worker has died after being electrocuted at a World Cup stadium in Brazil, officials have announced.
Muhammad’Ali Maciel Afonso, died after he was hit by an electrical discharge on Thursday, while working on level 20 at the new Arena Pantanal in Cuiaba.
It is the first fatality at the Cuiaba stadium but the eighth person who has died in accidents during the building of Brazil’s 12 World Cup arenas.
A police investigation is under way into the cause of the accident.
Jerome Valcke, secretary general of Fifa said on Twitter: “Saddened by the death of worker Muhammad’Ali Maciel Afonso at Arena Pantanal today. My thoughts are with his family and colleagues.”
The Arena Pantanal is one of several stadiums still to be finished with just weeks to go before the World Cup begins, according to the BBC.
A correspondent for the BBC said that several of the 12 stadiums missed their end-of-year deadline to be ready and are being delivered by Fifa at the last minute.
Local organisers have denied accusations of cutting corners and ignoring safety issues in order to get the job done.
In March a construction worker died after falling 25ft at the Sao Paolo stadium. Two other workers were killed at the same stadium in November last year when a crane collapsed.
In February, a Portuguese man was hit by a crane part and died while working at the Arena Amazonia, in Manaus. He was the third person to die in an accident at the north Brazilian stadium.
Another man died in the Mane Garrincha stadium in Brasilia in 2012.
Eighth person dies in preparations for Brazil World Cup
A worker has died after being electrocuted at a World Cup stadium in Brazil, officials have announced.
Safety & Health Practitioner
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