Authorities in the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre have reported a devastating fire at a small hotel that has resulted in the loss of at least 10 lives and left 11 individuals injured. The tragic incident unfolded in the early hours at a three-story building that served as a budget accommodation option for single occupants.
The fire brigade of the Rio Grande do Sul state swiftly responded to the emergency, but the blaze had already engulfed the premises. It was revealed that the hotel lacked proper licensing and an emergency fire plan, raising concerns about safety measures at the establishment.
Eye-witnesses recounted harrowing experiences of narrowly escaping the flames as they spread rapidly through the building. One survivor, Marcelo Wagner Schelech, shared his ordeal of fleeing the fire with only moments to spare, while tragically losing his sister in the blaze.
Of the 11 individuals rescued from the hotel, nine were rushed to hospitals for treatment, with five of them reported to be in critical condition. The community of Porto Alegre has been left in shock by the magnitude of the tragedy, prompting Mayor Sebastião Melo to closely monitor the investigations into the incident.
The hotel, known as Garoa Floresta, is part of the Garoa group, a chain operating multiple small hotels in Porto Alegre. This is not the first time such a tragedy has struck the group, as a similar fire in one of their hotels in 2022 resulted in one fatality and multiple injuries.
The authorities are now focused on determining the cause of the fire and assessing the overall safety standards of such establishments to prevent future tragedies from occurring. The loss of lives in this unfortunate incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of stringent fire safety protocols in all residential and commercial buildings.
