Elevated bike lane collapses in Brazil’s Olympic city, at least 2 die

RIO DE JANEIRO – An oceanfront stretch of an elevated bike lane built ahead of the Olympic Games collapsed Thursday when it was hit by a strong wave, killing at least two people, Rio de Janeiro authorities said.

Rio Municipal Secretary Pedro Paulo Carvalho said a third person was thought to be missing. He said a probe was underway to determine what caused the accident on the Tim Maia Bike Path, which was inaugurated in mid-January.

The structure snakes alongside a beachfront highway, perched high above the water on concrete and metal pillars set into the rocky cliff.

Carvalho declined to answer questions about whether shoddy workmanship may have been to blame for the accident. He said it appeared the approximately 150-foot stretch collapsed after being struck beneath by a strong wave.

Rio de Janeiro is hosting the Summer Games beginning in August, and the bike lane was among the games’ legacy projects. While no Olympic event will be held on the path itself, the collapse will likely add to worries about the country’s readiness to host the games.