Union: Worker warned crane was on unstable ground [View all]

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By TALES AZZONI

SAO PAULO (AP) - A safety engineer at the World Cup stadium where a giant crane collapse killed two workers allegedly warned his supervisor of possible problems with the operation, only to have his concerns brushed aside, a labor union leader charged Thursday, as sniping over the accident heated up.

The incident has fed worries about Brazil's capacity to host next year's showcase tournament, as well as the 2016 Olympics, though authorities insist they will be ready for both.

Sao Paulo's Arena Corinthians was slated to be completed by the end of December, and workers have suggested that speed was a top priority on the construction site, with many working 12-hour shifts and skipping vacations.

The stadium was initially scheduled to be part of the Confederations Cup earlier this year, but world football's governing body FIFA scrapped the venue from the warm-up tournament because of financing problems before construction even started.

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Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20131128/DAABTDK01.html

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People stand near a metal structure that buckled on part of the Itaquerao Stadium in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2013. Part of the stadium that will host the 2014 World Cup opener in Brazil collapsed on Wednesday, causing significant damage and killing at least two people, authorities said. (AP Photo/Nelson Antoine)