Brazil World Cup 2014: Worker dies in stadium fall

The stadium will host England's opening match of the 2014 World Cup

A worker has been killed in Brazil after falling from the roof of a stadium being built in the Amazon region for the 2014 football World Cup.

Marcleudo de Melo Ferreira, 22, died in hospital in Manaus after falling nearly 35m (115ft).

Hours later, another worker died of a heart attack at a nearby site. His family said he was overworked.

The builders' union is discussing whether to strike over working conditions.

Several construction workers have now died at venues connected with the World Cup as Brazil rushes to complete its stadiums on schedule.

Two were killed in an accident on 27 November when a crane fell and destroyed parts of Sao Paulo's Arena Corinthians, which will host the opening game on 12 June.

That accident delayed the stadium's completion date by several months. It is now expected to be ready in mid-April.

'Sunday to Sunday'

Andrade Gutierrez, the company building the Manaus stadium, said Mr Ferreira had been employed by a company subcontracted to construct the stadium's cover.

It said work had been halted until Sunday.

But the death of a second worker, at a convention centre building site, led to new calls by the union to begin a strike from Monday.

The body of Jose Antonio da Silva Nascimento, 49, was found late on Saturday morning at the new building, which will host meetings during the World Cup.

His death may not be connected with the working conditions, but relatives said he was under pressure because the work was behind schedule.

"He worked from Sunday to Sunday," sister-in-law Priscila Soares told O Globo newspaper.

The stadium in the Amazonian jungle city is where the England team will open their 2014 World Cup campaign, playing against Italy.

Brazil has faced protests over the cost of hosting the tournament

Brazil has admitted it is struggling to have all 12 venues completed on time. Six venues are ready; the other six have missed this month's deadline set by Fifa - the world's football governing body.

The country's preparations for the World Cup have also been hit by cost overruns and public protests over what is seen as wasted resources.

Last week Fifa's General Secretary Jerome Valcke appealed to Brazilians to support the contest saying it was the "wrong time" to protest.