Nothing beats a big festive Christmas tree in a town decorated with lights and baubles. Sadly, storms can wreak havoc with tall temporary structures, which is precisely what just happened in Brazil.
A tragic accident with a 'floating' Christmas tree has occurred near Rio de Janeiro, killing one and injuring two.
Horrified onlookers captured shocking footage of the incident. A towering 180ft white 'tree' with red trim is set up just off the beach. Suddenly, the foundations around the tree's base give way, causing the structure to cave under its own weight.
The tree topples toward the beach, dramatically increasing in speed before it hits the water. The bizarre structure narrowly misses the beach. A star on top of the tower smashes into the sea just in front of the shore, splashing the sand.
Inclement weather seems to be responsible, as you can see a real tree on the beach taking a battering from the elements. According to The Sun, authorities warned about 'bad weather' before the incident.
The harrowing footage shows several workers around the base of the tree as it collapses. All injured persons were working on the tree at the time, and most tragically, a worker identified as Vinicius dos Santos Abreu, 21, was killed.
The Christmas Tree Was Destined To Be A Tourist Attraction
According to The Sun report, the tree lights were due to be switched on during an opening ceremony on Wednesday. Town Hall chiefs released the following statement:
"Marica Town Hall deeply regrets the tragedy that occurred yesterday afternoon at Araçatiba Lagoon, when one person died and two were injured after the structure of the Christmas tree that was being assembled collapsed."
"As soon as Civil Defence issued a warning of heavy rain at 3:45 pm yesterday, the company hired to assemble the tree began to remove workers from the area."
The statement also explains that the team was surprised by the storm's ferocity and how quickly it managed to level the structure. The Town Hall is supporting the victims and their families during the aftermath and opening an investigation into the incident.
