2 die in Brazil 2014 World Cup football stadium collapse

PanARMENIAN.Net - Part of the stadium that will host the 2014 World Cup opener collapsed, killing two workers and aggravating concerns that Brazil will not be ready for the tournament, Belfast Telegraph reported.

The accident at the Arena Corinthians, known locally as the Itaquerao, could hardly have come at a worse time - just a week before the draw to decide the tournament's schedule and with the top names in football all descending on Brazil.

Preparations have been plagued by setbacks including cost overruns, stadium delays, accidents, labour strife and huge street protests in the run-up to the June tournament.

Public prosecutors and a trade union in Sao Paulo were already demanding an investigation into conditions at the venue, saying work should not resume until authorities deem the stadium safe. Ricardo Trade, head of the local World Cup organising committee, said the authorities would determine if there is a need to suspend construction.

"There are seven months till the World Cup, not 10 days, so I don't believe this is going to cause delays. But there is absolutely no guarantee on this," he said.

The accident yesterday, November 27 could lead to recriminations between local organisers and world football's ruling body FIFA, which has set a December deadline for all 12 World Cup stadiums to be ready. The tournament begins on June 12.

"I don't want to know about FIFA right now; we are worried about the families of the victims," said Andres Sanchez, former president of the Sao Paulo football club Corinthians, which is building the stadium.

The club said workers will not return before a three-day mourning period.

The stadium was nearly finished before the collapse, which happened when a construction crane crashed into a 500-ton metal structure. That structure then cut through the outer walls of the venue, destroying part of the outside of the building and slamming into a giant LED panel that runs across the stadium's facade.

Sanchez said it appeared the structure of the stadium was not compromised, meaning there should be enough time to recover before the World Cup.