9 firefighters killed as a cave collapses during training service in Brazil

According to Brazilian authorities, nine firefighters were killed in the Brazilian city of Altinopolis after the roof collapsed in a cave during a training activity.

The accident occurred on Sunday when 26 firefighters were at a training exercise in the Duas Bocas cave. "There were nine dead and one person saved. There are no more victims at the locations," officials said.

Earlier, officials said there were three dead and six missing, and the identity of the victims was not disclosed.

An earlier report by Altinopolis' mayor said 15 firefighters were still under the debris, while other victims were rescued and sustained fractures and hypothermia.

According to the mayor's office, five people in total were taken to a local hospital and discharged.

Police and emergency health teams were joined earlier Sunday by firefighters in an attempt to find those still confined under the debris. Heavy rains disrupted the rescue operations.

Access to the remote site was difficult, and the dangers of new collapses complicated the rescue attempt.

Sao Paulo Governor Joao Doria stated on Twitter that he would "provide all the assistance and support necessary to save the victims".

Speaking of GloboNews, Christina Trifoni, the mother of one of the instructors who attended the training event, added that the group had intended to spend the night in the cave.

"What happened is that the entrance to the place where they were, collapsed," she stated, standing next to family members of other firefighters who were anxiously awaiting word about the rescue effort.

Altinopolis, located about 300 km (200 miles) north of the city of Sao Paulo, is known for its caves, a major regional tourist attraction.