A fire broke out on Wednesday morning, April 8, at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Park Velodrome, prompting a major emergency response involving approximately 80 firefighters and 20 vehicles, authorities confirmed.
The Rio state military fire department reported that the blaze was largely confined to the velodrome’s fabric roof. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries, and the building’s interior—including the Olympic Museum—remained largely untouched.
Eduardo Cavaliere stated that only a small portion of the museum’s roughly 1,000 items was affected, and the damage could be repaired with minor restoration. “The structure of the velodrome itself is preserved and the track has not been hit at all,” Cavaliere added.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. The velodrome has a history of roof fires, but authorities say the facility’s main structure remains intact.