A beauty queen has died after jumping out of the sixth-floor of a building to escape a flat fire.
The woman, Mayara Nitão, 27, from Brazil, plummeted to her death after leaping out to escape the blaze in her apartment block.
14 fire engines and 40 firefighters were sent to the apartment block to try to tackle the fire.
The model and influencer, best known as Maya Nitão, who had nearly 100,000 followers on Instagram, was taken to a nearby hospital where she later died of her injuries.
The fire occurred in the upmarket district of Itaim Bibi, São Paulo, Brazil, on March 25.
Fire brigade spokesperson Captain Felipe Félis dos Santos said they are still awaiting information about the case.
He said: “It started inside. We have no information about the cause yet, however, it did not spread to other apartments.”
Maya’s brother, 23, who lived in the same flat, was also hospitalised with smoke inhalation but is said to be in stable condition in hospital.
He only learned of his sister’s tragic death 24 hours after the fire started.
According to reports, the sibling's parents flew from Paraíba State to São Paulo to tell their son of Maya’s death in person.
The model’s father César Nitão said: “The love of my life is now a star in the sky.
“I love you forever my daughter. As grandma used to say, ‘my beautiful baby’.”
Maya was crowned Miss Sertão Paraibano in January.
The model, who came from Campina Grande, Paraíba State, had competed in beauty pageants since 2019 and had won a total of nine titles.
She went to work as a model in São Paulo and encouraged her brother to move with her and continue his studies in the city.
Her father said she will be buried in João Pessoa, Paraíba State.
The investigation into the cause of the blaze is ongoing.
