Explosion at gas station causes two deaths in Porto Alegre

A devastating explosion occurred at a gas station in the city of Porto Alegre this Saturday (4), leaving at least two people dead. The incident happened during rescue operations linked to the unprecedented floods ravaging the region. The station was flooded when vehicles involved in the rescue were being refueled, resulting in a fire that generated a large cloud of smoke visible from a distance. Firefighters treated the victims, who suffered burns in the accident. Located on Avenida Cairu, in the Navegantes neighborhood, the gas station is located in a region hit hard by the heavy rains that have hit Rio Grande do Sul since Monday (29), considered the worst in the state’s history. The climate disaster has already caused dozens of deaths and missing people in the region.

River overflows and landslides have left roads closed, with almost 300 locations affected, many of them isolated. In Porto Alegre, the Guaíba River reached critical levels, flooding the city’s historic center. The river level reached 5.04 meters, surpassing the previous record of 4.76 meters, set during historic floods in 1941. With many streets submerged, residents are on high alert, trying to evacuate their homes in the face of the growing threat from the waters.

*With information from AFP