Fire in a hospital in Rio de Janeiro: at least 10 dead

At least 10 people died in a hospital fire of Rio de Janeiro Thursday night, in a new tragedy that strikes the heart of the famous Brazilian city.

In the midst of the chaos caused by the flames, more than one hundred patients were evacuated. The first badumption is that the fire was caused by a short circuitCity Mayor Marcelo Crivella said they would be investigated possible acts of "sabotage".

"At least ten people are dead", said the Rio de Janeiro Fire Department (CBMERJ), without specifying whether the victims were patients or workers from Badim Hospital, in the Tijuca neighborhood, north of the city. "About 90 patients had to be transferred to other medical units," the statement added.

According to preliminary information from the hospital, the fire started to follow "a short circuit in the generator "of one of the buildings of the medical complex and" the smoke has spread to all floors of the old building ".

The flames were controlled after 8 pm local time, with a first part of a deceased person; others nine bodies were found by firefighters at the beginning of the morning rescue operations.

A thick column of black smoke rose from the side of one of the buildings of this private medical center, as nurses, doctors and volunteers. they ran to get the patients out of the place.

Mattresses and stretchers were placed on the asphalt in the street in front of the hospital, while ambulances were trying to make their way between the medical staff and the crowd of inquisitive in order to transfer patients into d & # 39; 39, other hospitals.

Dozens of parents of patients they focused on the site and some entered the medical center to try to save them.

"I took out my mother in the room where I was and when we reached the emergency stairs, many people were running, "he told the news portal UOL Attorney Carlos Oterelo, whose 93-year-old mother was admitted for pneumonia.

According to firefighters, the hospital had safety certificates issued by the organization itself.

Sabotage Act?

During a visit to the hospital this Friday, Rio Mayor Marcelo Crivella confirmed that Badim "had all the necessary equipment" and that "investigations will determine whether or not responsible".

"You have to see if there was not sabotage, is something that needs to be studied. Does an engine that generates energy catch fire? The fire comes from the carelessness of someone who ignites flames in a place that he no longer manages to control, or from an electrical short, "Crivella said, quoted by the newspaper. Extra.

The address of the Badim Hospital He added that "relatives of the patients and workers involved" in the fire "had retained the attention of the hospital support committee, including a social worker".

Fire shows

It's the third fire of proportions in the "wonderful city"(wonderful city) in the last year.

On February 8, the Flamengo training center, located about 50 km from the center of Rio, caught fire due to a short circuit. the death of ten teenagers.

In September 2018, the National Museum of Rio de Janeiro, the largest museum of natural history in Latin America, has been razed by flames, destroying invaluable collections of palentology.