SAN PEDRO GARZA GARCIA, MEXICO – A presidential campaign rally in Mexico suffered a tragic incident on Wednesday when a stage collapsed due to heavy winds, leading to nine deaths. A wave of panic also landed the presidential candidate, Jorge Álvarez Máynez, in the hospital, although he reported no injuries.
During the campaign event in the northeastern city of San Pedro Garza Garcia, a sudden powerful wind gust led to a fatal accident in which the stage caved in.
The governor of Nuevo León state, Samuel García Sepúlveda, confirmed that at least 121 people were injured and announced he would cover the victims’ funeral and hospital expenses.
Observers in Monterrey reported that nearby thunderstorms might have caused wind gusts up to 25-30 miles per hour. Álvarez Máynez’s stage show included a large video screen that fell onto the stage and part of the audience area. The aftermath of the accident showed a scene filled with emergency vehicles and injured people being carried away.
The representative of the Citizens’ Movement party took the decision to suspend all campaign activities following the incident. He has decided to stick around in the state to keep a tab on the victims’ situations, expressing solidarity with those tragically affected by the incident.