Two maintenance workers at the annual Dakar Rally were killed after being electrocuted in separate incidents this week, according to reports and organisers.
A 46-year-old man who was working on setting up the decorations in Copiapo for the competitors of the off-road endurance race died Thursday, according to the Cooperativa radio station.
The man was helping erect a giant welcome banner for the competitors when a metal structure toppled over into some high-voltage cables electrocuting him.
The second man died Friday while doing electrical work as he helped build a stage in the city of Arica which was to be used by Chilean President Sebastian Pinera to address the gathering, said the rally’s organisers in a statement.
The Dakar rally, which originated in 1978, is an annual endurance race in which competitors compete in a number of types of vehicles over 13 stages.
The off-road cars, trucks, motorcycles and quads have to traverse over difficult terrain, including rocks, sand dunes and mud. – Sapa-AFP