The dead lived in a hostel designed for low-income or socially vulnerable people. Many of the residents were homeless people who found a shelter there.
The coffins remained closed because the bodies were charred during the fire. The burial took place in the rain.
The owner of a funeral home in Porto Alegre donated the ceremony, assuming the costs of the wake. The city council provided the tombs.
Task force begins inspecting inns that house homeless people on Monday
Representatives of social movements that work in the fight for decent housing and in defense of the homeless population attended the cemetery. They demand a rigorous investigation into the fire.
“The pain is immense. It’s a feeling of revolt, because these complaints are made every month, they are made every year, annually. So, it’s been two years of struggle that we’ve been trying to warn that a situation like this could happen” , speaks Carlos Henrique Rosa da Silva, from the National Street Population Movement.
The Secretary of Social Development of Porto Alegre also attended the wake. Leó Voigt holds the portfolio responsible for the contract with Pousada Garoa, the company that owns the pension that caught fire. The religious ceremony was performed by Father Lucas Matheus Mendes, from the Basilica das Dores.
In a statement released on Saturday, those responsible for Pousada Garoa state that they are “fully collaborating with the competent authorities to clarify the details of this event”.
“The safety of our guests and employees is our priority. We are fully committed to providing all necessary support to people. Furthermore, we continue our work to assist the homeless population, reinforcing our social commitment”, says the statement.
Fire in the Capital: causes are still being investigated
The Civil Police seeks to hear from the people who were there at the time of the fire, those responsible for the building and those who inspected the property.
Porto Alegre City Hall ordered the opening of an investigation into the contract with Pousada Garoa, which has 22 other spaces operating in the Capital, serving 320 people. Mayor Sebastião Melo (MDB) announced a task force to visit these inns.
The Public Ministry opened a civil investigation to monitor and verify the measures adopted by Porto Alegre City Hall due to the fire. The MP will also deal with the referral of people who use the accommodation service resulting from the contract signed between the city hall and Pousada Garoa so that they are not deprived of the service and are also not vulnerable to the occurrence of new events.
The Public Defender’s Office inspected some of the locations and stated that the conditions of the properties were not adequate to accommodate people in vulnerable situations. The body foresees the adoption of legal measures, after determining the responsibilities of the inn owner and the city hall in the fire. The objective is to guarantee reparation for survivors and families of those who died.
Tags: Fire victims Porto Alegre buried presence family members funeral home owner donated ceremony Rio Grande Sul
