An eyewitness who captured the scene said the blaze didn’t seem to be spreading to adjacent buildings, but debris was falling onto the construction site below. Authorities shut off electricity and evacuated nearby buildings as a precaution. “The Fire Department is working on the scene and ensuring that everyone who lives in the area stays safe,” Pernambuco Governor Raquel Lyra said. The building was reportedly under construction and was scheduled for completion in 2026. The only person at the scene was a security guard, who promptly noticed the fire and managed to evacuate the premises unharmed.
A high-rise building in Pernambuco, Brazil, was engulfed in flames on Thursday (March 28)
Share icon Image credits: ABC News Despite the intensity of the flames, there were no immediate reports of casualties. Images obtained by the local newspaper Folha de Pernambuco show around ten floors affected by the fire. According to preliminary information provided by the Pernambuco Military Fire Department (CBMPE), authorities received the fire alert around 8:00 p.m. local time and deployed two firefighting teams, four hydrant vehicles, a lifting platform, and an operational command center. Furthermore, a helicopter joined the efforts to contain the flames.
Authorities shut off electricity and evacuated nearby buildings as a precaution
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Despite the intensity of the flames, there were no immediate reports of casualties
Bombeiros já estão no local. pic.twitter.com/pU20JgBJqZ — Katarina Moraes (@katarinagmoraes) March 28, 2024
“I was in the kitchen when my son alerted me. The building is still under construction and should be around 20 stories. More than eight are being consumed by flames. There is a crane on the building and we hope that its structure is resistant enough,” a neighbor who witnessed the scene described to Folha de Pernambuco. She added: “Debris is constantly falling and, being close to a gas station, there is a risk of it catching fire. We did not hear any noise prior to the start of the fire, which is disconcerting.” Residents of six surrounding buildings were evacuated, according to the Executive Secretary of Civil Defense of Pernambuco, Colonel Clóvis Fernandes Dias Ramalho. The mayor of Recife, João Campos, indicated that Civil Defense teams were on the scene to support firefighters in “blocking access to the streets and nearby areas.” “I will continue to monitor this situation from the City Council, along with the coordinators of the teams that are working in the area,” he added.
People were shocked by the images
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