Part of a stage at an election rally in the northern Mexican state of Nuevo Leon collapsed, killing at least nine people, including a child, and injuring about 50 others, the local governor said.
Center-left presidential candidate Jorge Alvarez Menez was delivering a speech in the city of San Pedro Garza Garcia near Monterrey when the incident occurred.
Mr Menes was uninjured in the collapse and spoke to supporters after the incident. He said several members of his team were injured.
Mr Menes said the collapse was caused by a sudden gust of wind Said in X’s post.
The video shows many people on the stage and the lighting structure collapsing.
Footage posted on social media showed Mr Menes waving to his supporters before running to the back of the stage for safety as he realized parts of the structure were collapsing.
People can also be heard screaming and running from the stage.
“What we experienced happened in just a few seconds: a strong wind came, a sudden gust of wind, and unfortunately it blew the stage down,” Mr Menes told reporters at the scene, according to the Associated Press , resulting in a fatal accident.
Governor Samuel Garcia said the victims included eight adults and one child.
Three of the injured required surgery, he added after visiting a local hospital.
Mr. Garcia posted on social media urging residents to stay indoors because of thunderstorms and strong winds in the area.
He wrote on
Mexican President Andres Manuel López Obrador said he was “hugging the victims’ families, friends and political supporters.”
Menez, 38, is the candidate of the Civic Movement party and currently trails in national polls behind Claudia Scheinbaum of the ruling Morena party and Xochitel Galvez of the opposition Alliance. Ranked third.
Mr. Menez announced that he was suspending his upcoming campaign, and Ms. Scheinbaum said she had canceled an appearance in nearby Monterey on Thursday.
Ms Galvez wrote on social media: “My condolences and prayers go out to the families of the deceased and I wish all the injured a speedy recovery.”
The election scheduled for June 2 is one of the deadliest in the country’s history.
A recent survey by Mexican political consultancy Integralia Around 200 civil servants, politicians and candidates were allegedly murdered or threatened before voting. There have been no reports of incidents at the campaign trail.
