During an election campaign rally on Wednesday, in Mexico, a stage collapsed, crushing nine people and injuring dozens as high winds tore apart the large, concert-style structure, causing politicians and attendees to flee the scene.
Samuel Garcia, the state’s governor, had revealed on social media that about 50 people had been injured during the rally for the Citizens’ Movement party in the northern Mexican state of Nuevo Leon.
The victims comprised of eight adults and one child. A lot of the injured persons were being treated at local clinics, according to the director of Mexico’s social security institute reported.
The presidential candidate for the centrist Citizens’ Movement party, Jorge Alvarez Maynez, had said that a gust of wind had caused the stage to collapse at the event which held in the city of San Pedro Garza Garcia.
A video of the accident had showed the structure instantly falling forward into the crowd, causing politicians on the stage and panicked attendees to run for dear life.
Maynez has said that he was suspending campaign activities and that he hoped authorities would investigate what had occurred, requesting transparency in the process.
Maynez’s campaign coordinator Laura Ballesteros is currently hospitalized with a broken foot, according to a statement by the party.
The mayoral candidate for San Pedro Garza Garcia, Lorenia Canavati, had disclosed on social media that she was coordinating with authorities to support those affected and their families as well.
Meanwhile, Governor Garcia has warned residents to remain indoors amidst the strong thunderstorms in the area.
Alvarez Maynez is placed third in Mexico’s presidential election set for June 2. He comes far behind ruling party candidate Claudia Sheinbaum and second-place to Xochitl Galvez, who represents a broad opposition coalition.
All candidates have offered condolences for the families of the victims in their posts on social media. Sheinbaum had even gone as far as canceling a rally planned for Thursday evening in Monterrey.
