A woman has died and five others were injured after part of restaurant linked to a MasterChef judge collapsed.
The wooden mezzanine gave way at around midday on Wednesday (8 Oct), trapping at least six people inside.
One of those trapped – a female employee – was found unconscious when rescuers arrived.
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“She had been in cardiorespiratory arrest for some time, and despite repeated attempts by the doctors at the scene, they were ultimately forced to declare her dead,” fire brigade spokesperson Olívia Perrone Cazo told local media.
The other five victims, all restaurant employees, were pulled from the wreckage with injuries, while two more were treated for shock.
Four of the injured – three women and one man – were taken to hospital, and a fifth was treated at the scene.
Reported injuries included back pain, cuts, scrapes and breathing difficulties, as reported by Need To Know.
Jamile restaurant in São Paulo, Brazil, is overseen by celebrity chef Henrique Fogaça, a judge on MasterChef Brasil.
The 51-year-old said in a statement: “Fogaça expresses his full solidarity with the victims and their families, reaffirming that his main concern at this moment is the well-being of everyone involved and ensuring they receive the necessary assistance.”
He added that he had “no ownership interest or business partnership with the Jamile restaurant”, which was closed at the time of the collapse.
The statement clarified: “His role is limited to designing and signing off the restaurant’s menu, without involvement in its administrative or operational management.”
Authorities later confirmed that all of the restaurant’s licences were valid.
The identity of the woman who died had not been released at the time of publication.
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