Subways in Brazil's World Cup host cities problematic

Subways in Brazil's largest cities, Rio and Sao Paulo, have been facing problems as the FIFA World Cup approaches.

Three of the five subway lines in Sao Paulo faced mechanical problems Monday causing trains to be evacuated and taken to maintenance, reported Xinhua.

In Rio, smoke entered a subway train at a station. Though the subway company denied that there was fire, passengers told daily O Globo that there was a fire and subway workers used fire extinguishers at the platform.

The incidents are only the latest in a series of accidents and malfunctions in the subway systems of Rio and Sao Paulo, both of which will host matches of the FIFA World Cup starting in June.

The opening match of the World Cup will be held in Sao Paulo and the final in Rio.