LIMA – An 8-year-old girl died at a Christmas event in the southern Peruvian city of Sicuani when the stage under which she had taken shelter from the rain collapsed on top of her, media outlets reported Friday.
The young victim was taking part in a gift-giving event organized by several companies in Sicuani in the Cuzco region, when a sudden cloudburst sent everyone running for cover, either underneath or on top of the stage set up for the occasion, the state news agency Andina reported.
The weight of the people was too much for the stage, which fell apart, crashed down and killed the little girl, police said.
“It was an accident caused by the number of people who went onstage when it started to rain, a tragic situation that police are investigating to find out who was at fault,” commander Ruben Pantoja told Andina.
A provincial prosecutor ordered the removal of the body and an investigation is currently underway to identify the people responsible.