A cave that collapsed during a training exercise has killed nine firefighters in Brazil. The accident occurred at the Duas Bocas caves in Altinopolis, a popular regional tourist attraction just 200 miles north of Sao Paolo.
Officials said that 27 civilian firefighters were involved in the training exercise when the cave suddenly collapsed on Sunday. Rescue workers were immediately dispatched to the scene but the operation was hampered due to heavy rain, which made it difficult to access some areas of the cave.
A total of 75 firemen and 20 rescue vehicles were mobilized to help rescue the trapped volunteers. Officials confirmed that nine people had perished, while five others were sent to the Hospital de Misericordia in Altinopolis.
Altinopolis City officials said they were not informed that a training exercise was being conducted in the caves near the Rancho 65 Farm. The training course was organized by the Real Life School. Altinopolis mayor José Roberto Ferracin Marques said will be contacting the school to ask why they had not informed the municipality ahead of the training exercise.
"Our Civil Defense was called at around three o'clock to tend to a collapse in this cave, which is in a private area. The firefighters and the owner of the farm had no previous contact with the municipality," the city's mayor said.
NEW: Nine firefighters killed in cave collapse during training exercise in Brazil, officials say. https://t.co/7JTS7tfjRD — ABC News (@ABC) October 31, 2021
Marques said the city is doing everything it can to assist the firefighters and the rescue teams. Workers with meals and water have been dispatched to the area. The city has also provided wood and other materials, which are now being used to buttress part of the collapsed cave.
Military Police Lieutenant Colonel Rodrigo Quintino said these types of training should not be conducted during bad weather. He said that the group was camping inside the cave following days of heavy rain.
"That kind of training should not be done. It is a level of training that requires a high degree of professionalism. Those who have the competence to do this kind of action are the military teams," Quintino said.
Authorities have not disclosed the identities of those who were killed during the cave collapse. The Sao Paulo Military Firemen Department said that all of the firefighters have been recovered, including those who had been earlier thought missing.
