Concrete shop canopy collapses downtown, kills one

A concrete canopy collapsed in the City neighbourhood of San Nicolás killing one person, who was identified as 33-year-old Octavio Galimberti, a lawyer.

Likewise, SAME emergency services Director Alberto Crescenti stated that "rescue teams worked on the place," but no other victims were found.

Earlier today, national Security Secretary Sergio Berni had also told reporters there was one victim, but could not confirm the gender though said everything indicated it was a man.

During the afternoon, the victim was identified as Octavio Galimberti, a lawyer who worked for the Justice Minister Julio Alak as a legal advisor.

Likewise, Berni estimated the canopy's weight at 30 tons.

The incident occurred on 1578 Lavalle street in the City neighbourhood of San Nicolás, two blocks away from the National Courts.

Witnesses at the scene said that two people had stood underneath a 5-metre tall canopy trying to take shelter from the rain, when the concrete and metal structure collapsed on top of them, allegedly injuring two other people as well.

Federal Police opened an investigation into what caused the collapse, while the City's Same Emergency Service were working at the scene along with firefighters.

Lavalle street had to be cordened off by police between Paraná and Montevideo in order to carry out the investigation.