By Ben Tavener, Senior Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Members of a newly-formed victims’ association for those killed in last week’s multiple building collapse in downtown Rio, which claimed the lives of at least seventeen people, have announced they are to include the City of Rio in the list of those to be prosecuted for damages.
The association’s attorney, Octávio Blatter, defended its decision, adding it would make sure officials are more careful with victims’ possessions, documents and even the remains themselves.
At a meeting by association members, Antônio Molinaro said the victims had not received sufficient support from the authorities:
“If we were a samba school, the Mayor would have given us a million [reais] by now,” he said.
Earlier yesterday, the Archbishop of Rio Dom Orani Tempesta held a special mass at Rio’s Metropolitan Cathedral to honor those killed in the tragedy, which was attended by some of the victims’ families and members of the public.
Yesterday also saw gas supplies being restored to the areas around the site of the collapse, which should be completed on Friday. However, supplies will remain off in the immediate area surrounding the collapse site.
The local authorities are said to be continuing to debate how best to go forward in terms of new regulation that could be brought in to help monitor the structural integrity of the vast number of buildings which make up the city.
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