Mexico: In a tragic incident, nine people died and a presidential candidate had to go to the hospital briefly when a stage collapsed during a campaign rally in Mexico due to strong winds on Wednesday.
Candidate Jorge Álvarez Máynez confirmed he was unharmed during the incident, which occurred at his campaign event in the northeastern city of San Pedro Garza García.
The governor of Nuevo León state in Mexico reported 54 injuries and ongoing rescue efforts to free individuals trapped beneath the collapsed stage.
Governor Samuel García Sepúlveda stated in a social media post that one minor was among the deceased. He also noted that some of the injured are in stable condition, while others are undergoing surgery.
Álvarez Máynez told Reuters that the incident occurred in a matter of seconds. He explained that a strong gust of wind suddenly came, causing the stage to collapse, resulting in a tragic accident.
Álvarez mentioned that he initially noticed the musicians drums, which were about to be blown away. Upon realizing the danger, people scattered in different directions, with some jumping to the sides of the stage, while he jumped backwards.
Videos posted on social media captured the moment when a powerful gust of wind led to the collapse of the stage. In the footage, Máynez and his team can be seen running for shelter as the structure, which included a large video screen, collapsed onto the stage and part of the audience area.
Videos taken after the accident depict a significant presence of emergency vehicles at the scene, with their lights flashing in the darkness. Injured individuals are seen being carried away for medical assistance. The area was cordoned off and secured by heavily armed security personnel.
Mexico’s meteorological service had predicted strong winds in the region, with gusts of up to 70 kilometers per hour (43 miles per hour) from Wednesday afternoon.
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