In the build-up to the final of the Carnaval Queen 2013 a contestant has been badly burned by fire. Saida Prieto, pictured below, suffered more than 40% burns to her body after an accident at the Carnival Queen contest.
Saida, aged 25, was behind the scenes at the time of the fire and was seen frantically attempting to remove her costume. The costume consisted of huge wings with feathers and witnesses said the the flames reached the 10 metre high ceiling of the theatre.
After the fire, said to have been started by a firework, one witness said “the scene was horrendous, we watched as a curtain caught fire and in less than a second, flames of 10 metres high reached the ceiling”
The victim was transferred to the Virgen del Rocìo hospital in Seville and reports say that she has suffered 42% burns of both 2nd and 3rd degree grade. The report from the hospital reads that she is “Stable and resting” and that “42% of her body has been burned”. The reports go on to say that the severity of the case has been reduced thanks to the experts in the Seville hospital, she has undergone 2 major operations within the last 24 hours.
Currently the Carnival celebrations have been halted, although the family of Saida Prieto say that she and the family want the Carnaval to continue.
