SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) – At least three people died and 38 others were injured Saturday after a surge by thousands of fans toppled security barriers at an event featuring RBD, a Mexican band starring in a popular soap opera.

The incident comes weeks after police – including a SWAT team – in the U.S. states of New Jersey and Texas struggled to contain unexpectedly large turnouts of fans for the group, which stars in the television show “Rebelde.”

Between 10,000 and 15,000 fans gathered outside a shopping center in Sao Paulo for an autograph session by the group, said Adriano Moneta, a spokesman with Sao Paulo state’s public safety secretariat. Moneta said a 47-year-old woman and two girls aged 15 and 16 died in the Saturday morning incident. Their identities were not immediately released.

At least 38 people – mostly teenagers – were reported injured. Two remained hospitalized in serious condition, Sao Paulo state’s health secretariat said. None of the band members were hurt.

Broadcasts of “Rebelde,” which also is aired in the United States and other countries, have helped make RBD one of the most popular groups in Latin America and among Spanish-speaking communities in the United States.

Police in Dallas, Texas, called out a SWAT team to control some 10,000 fans, some of whom waited for six hours to see the group at a Wal-Mart on Jan. 13. The size of the crowd forced organizers to cancel it. Extra police also were called out to handle unexpectedly large, frustrated crowds at autograph events in El Paso, Texas, on Jan. 12 and in West Patterson, New Jersey, on Jan. 15.

RBD’s “Nuestro Amor” was listed at No. 7 on Billboard’s “Hot Latin Songs” on Friday in the United States.

Brazil’s most popular song, “Solo Quedate En Silencio” by RBD, reached No. 2 on Billboard’s “Hot Latin Tracks” chart in the United States last year.

The group’s biggest hit in Latin America is “Rebelde.”

Authorities said some of the Brazilian fans were trampled after a security fence collapsed. Fans apparently surged forward as the band began preparing for a brief performance.

Police were investigating whether organizers had proper authorization to host the event at the parking lot of the shopping center and whether the location could hold the number of fans that showed up.

Organizers – which include Brazilian supermarket chain Extra and the record company EMI Group PLC _ said in a statement that there was no wrongdoing on their part. They said all necessary security measures were taken, preventing a greater tragedy.

Spokesmen for the Televisa network in Mexico City that produces the program were not in their office on Saturday.

Television images showed fans being treated at tents set up in the shopping center’s parking lot. Police had to divert traffic away from the area.

Some fans had spent the night at the shopping center waiting for the autograph session. On Friday, about 7,000 people were at Sao Paulo’s airport to welcome the band.

The Mexican band was scheduled to stay in Brazil until today.