An accident during carnival parades at the Sambódromo in Rio de Janeiro in the early hours of Sunday left at least two people injured, local authorities reported. A float from the Maricá Union samba school ran over some participants as it was approaching the end of its route along the Sambódromo avenue. Municipal Health Secretary Daniel Soranz told Globo TV network in an interview that one of the injured twisted his ankle, while the other suffered two 'open' and 'serious' leg fractures, requiring surgery. Videos released by Brazilian media show smoke starting to come out from under the float after the accident; the float represented an Afro-Brazilian deity. Maricá Union, which belongs to the second division of samba schools and competes for promotion with other participants, expressed solidarity with the more seriously injured person, who is also a member of the organization. The school stated that the team is monitoring the injured person's condition and is in contact with hospital representatives. This Sunday marks the first of the three main days of parades, where schools in the top category compete for the championship title.
