Article by Cosmin Nistor – Published on Thursday, 09 April 2026, 14:48 / Updated on Thursday, 09 April 2026 15:01
A major fire broke out in the Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro, affecting the velodrome built for the 2016 Olympic Games.
The flames engulfed the roof of the arena, one of the most important sports bases in Brazil, where the national cyclists and other athletes train.
PHOTO. Massive intervention: 80 firefighters mobilized
The fire broke out around 4:17 in the morning, and approximately 80 firefighters, with 20 special vehicles, intervened on the scene. Crews worked both inside and outside the building, managing to limit the spread of the fire.
Fortunately, there were no casualties and the fire did not endanger the rest of the Olympic complex.
The flames destroyed a large part of the roof of the velodrome after engulfing the canvas structure of the arena. However, the cycling track remained intact and the Olympic Museum inside was not affected.
The mayor of the city, Eduardo Cavaliere, said:
“The track and the Olympic Museum were not damaged in the fire. The necessary cleaning and repairs are now being carried out so that the velodrome can be put back into useCavaliere said, according to the BBC.
Firefighters paid special attention to protecting the exhibits in the museum, including the torch and medals from the 2016 Olympics.
Repeat incident: problems in the past as well
The velodrome is Brazil's most important cycling center and serves as a training base for both the national cycling team and other sports.
This is not the first fire at this arena. In 2017, the roof was damaged by two separate fires, then caused by flying lanterns.
