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At least three people died and 40 were injured when a bus carrying dancers that was returning to Paraguay overturned on a highway in the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina, Paraguayan and Brazilian authorities reported on Wednesday.
The bus was returning from the city of Gramado, in southern Brazil, where the Bethania Dance Academy, from the Paraguayan department of Guairá, participated in a dance competition, said Carlos Vera, head of Paraguay's National Commission for Refugees (Conare), on ABC Cardinal radio.
The accident, which occurred early this morning, caused three deaths, although the official noted that there is "probably" a fourth fatal victim.
The fatal victims are two Paraguayan women, aged 75 and 48, and an 8-year-old girl who was a member of the dance academy, said José Resquín, mayor of the municipality of Colonia Independencia, where the dance school is located, on the same radio station.
According to the Santa Catarina Fire Department, the bus, which was carrying 67 passengers, went off a curve on a highway between the municipalities of Maravilha and São Miguel da Boa Vista, causing dozens of victims to become trapped in the wreckage of the crashed vehicle.
Given the scale of the accident, nine regional fire units participated in the rescue efforts.
Of the 64 survivors, 40 required medical assistance and were taken to local hospitals: 35 were admitted to the São José Hospital in the municipality of Maravilha; four to the Romelândia municipal hospital; and the last one was taken to the Terezinha Gaio Basso Regional Hospital in São Miguel do Oeste.
Passengers who did not require prior medical attention were transferred to a shelter.
"There are people in serious condition," stated the Paraguayan mayor, who confirmed he had received information from the academy's administrator.
The causes of the accident are under investigation by the Brazilian Civil Police and Scientific Police, who took charge of the scene for the corresponding forensic analysis.
The Bethania Dance Academy won the grand prize at the Sur Dance International Competition on Monday, which took place in Gramado, according to the school's social media.
[Publicidad]