A maid of honor and a ring bearer killed and at least 30 people were injured after the roof collapsed at a country house in northern Colombia province of Cesar.
More than 80 guests gathered to celebrate the wedding of Ebed Calderón and Camilo Andrade when the ceiling caved on Saturday night around 8:30 pm at Casa Hotel Riasco in municipality of Valledupar.
Authorities said the roof collapsed have been caused by blockage in the drain pipes that didn’t allow the heavy rain to flow that fell in the municipality of Valledupar on Saturday night.
‘The drain pipes were apparently covered in dry leaves and debris. When it rained, the water had nowhere to go and the concrete structure collapsed,’ said Petra Romero, director of Cesar’s Risk Management Office.’
The victims were identified as Naileth Guerra, 22, and Sharay Maldonado, 13.
The injured guests were rushed to three area clinics and one hospital.
At least three people are in critical condition, including Guerra’s mother, local media outlets reported.
Footage on social media showed an adult attempting to help a young girl who was trapped under the debris.
One of the wedding guests told El Tiempo newspaper that Guerra and Maldonado were sought protection under tables after a lightning strike briefly knocked out the electricity.
‘In the midst of the downpour, it felt like a thunder explosion. That’s when the lights went out. It returned immediately,’ the witness said.
‘A few minutes later, one of the structures there collapsed. People ran away. Naileth and the girl tried to take refuge under the tables, but they were crushed.’
Deivis Hernández told Noticias RCN that he heard a loud noise just moments before the roof gave way.
‘We heard a noise like when the branch of a giant tree breaks. That was more or less the sound,’ he said. ‘We were all alarmed and suddenly, in a matter of seconds, everything began to collapse. We were left in the dark, we began to look for the exit.’
Just hours before the wedding, Calderón shared a video on social media surrounded by her five bridesmaids.
Calderón lamented Guerra’s death in a heartbreaking post on her Instagram account Sunday.
‘My beautiful friend, my queen, my cutie, the one with the noblest heart, I can’t believe all this. My God, I begged you so much,’ she wrote.
‘My soul hurts. We had so many dreams. It hurts me a lot,’ she added. ‘I just ask God to bring immense comfort to all of us who love you with our hearts. ‘My God, I don’t understand, Father, why, my God, help us.’