A major fire erupted at Rio de Janeiro's Olympic Park Velodrome early Wednesday, causing significant damage to the venue's roof but leaving the iconic cycling track unscathed.
Approximately 80 firefighters with 20 fire engines responded to the blaze, which was reported at 04:17 local time. The state's military fire department confirmed the extensive response effort to contain the flames.
Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere provided reassurance about the venue's condition, stating, "A preliminary assessment has confirmed the track at the Olympic Velodrome was not damaged in any way. It remains intact and well-preserved. Obviously, it will need to be cleaned and undergo some form of maintenance before we can announce that the velodrome is back in operation."
Lt Col Fabio Contreiras told CNN Brazil that firefighters worked both inside and outside the structure, with particular attention to protecting artifacts in the Olympic Museum housed within the venue. The museum contains exhibits and memorabilia from the 2016 Games, where Great Britain secured six Olympic and eight Paralympic gold medals at this very location.
Authorities reported no injuries from the incident and confirmed there was no risk of the fire spreading to other parts of the Olympic complex.
This marks the third fire incident at the velodrome roof since 2017, with previous blazes attributed to falling sky lanterns. The cause of Wednesday's fire remains under investigation.