A former top-flight footballer was among two people killed after a wall collapsed during severe winds.
Former Botafogo and CSKA Sofia striker Tássio Maia dos Santos died when the wall gave way yesterday (29 July) afternoon.
The structure collapsed during a powerful windstorm with gusts exceeding 100km/h (62mph), crushing a parked car.
READ MORE: Family desperate for answers as Brit, 21, disappears from Benidorm strip
The second victim of the tragedy – which happened in the Santa Teresa neighbourhood of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – was his friend Vandré Cordeiro.
Four pedestrians, including at least one child, were walking past moments before the collapse.
They managed to run clear before being engulfed by a cloud of dust.
Tássio, 41, played for 27 clubs during a career that ended in 2019 when he retired after leaving Ferroviário.
A product of São Cristóvão’s youth academy, he began his professional career in 2002.
The centre-forward played for clubs including Botafogo in Brazil, CSKA Sofia in Bulgaria, Deportivo Saprissa in Costa Rica and Figueirense, helping the latter secure promotion to Brazil’s Serie A in 2010.
His career also took him to South Korea, China, Iran, Greece, Cyprus, Portugal and the UAE, as reported by Need To Know.
After retiring from football, he managed an events venue on the same street where the wall collapsed. Vandré also worked at the venue.
Botafogo, where Tássio was part of the 2015 squad, said in a statement: “At this time of grief, the club extends its deepest condolences to Tássio’s family, friends and everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.
“Rest in peace.”
The Rio de Janeiro State Fire Brigade said it had “responded to 185 incidents related to the strong winds across the state, including 93 fallen-tree callouts, 31 rescues and five building collapses”.
It added: “Search operations are continuing for a fisherman reported missing in Tarituba, in Mambucaba.”
READ MORE: Team England surfer MISSING abroad after paddleboard distance challenge
