A fire erupted on Wednesday morning at the velodrome located within Rio de Janeiro’s Olympic Park, leading to a significant emergency response. Approximately 80 firefighters and 20 vehicles were deployed to tackle the blaze, according to authorities.
The Rio state military fire department reported that the fire had been contained and was mainly restricted to the fabric roof of the venue.
Fortunately, no injuries have been reported, and the building’s interior, including the Olympic Museum, escaped damage.
Rio Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere informed the press that only a minor section of the city’s Olympic museum, which houses 1,000 items and is situated inside the velodrome, was affected. He assured that the necessary repairs would be minimal.
“The velodrome’s structure remains intact, and the track itself is completely unharmed,” Cavaliere stated.
An investigation is underway to determine the cause of this incident, which adds to the facility’s history of roof fires.
Two similar blazes occurred in 2017, both caused by falling paper sky lanterns.
Since hosting track cycling during the 2016 Summer Games, the Velodrome has served as a primary training base for Brazil’s national cycling and weightlifting teams.
