Ten people died and 13 were injured in a fire in the early hours of yesterday (26) in an inn that operated as a shelter for homeless people in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul. “Ten victims were confirmed and the place operated irregular manner”, indicated the Fire Department.
Governor Eduardo Leite said, on platform X, that he was deeply shocked by the tragedy and indicated that the authorities were working to identify the causes of the fire.
Thirteen rescued people were treated in two hospitals in the region. Among them, six were in serious condition, informed the Porto Alegre Health Department. Five of the injured were treated for smoke inhalation.
Firefighters arrived at the scene around 2am and were able to control the flames around 5am. The three-story building was partially destroyed.
The director of Porto Alegre’s Civil Defense, Evaldo Rodrigues de Oliveira, declared that a team is assessing the damage to the structures of the property, which belongs to a chain of popular inns in the capital of Rio Grande do Sul.
Municipal authorities allowed other people living in the building to remove some belongings and take them to other shelters. According to firefighters, the inn did not have an operating license or a fire prevention plan. (AFP)
