The São Paulo Fire Department confirmed early this evening the death of one person following an explosion that damaged several homes in the Jaguaré neighborhood, in the western part of the city.
According to Captain Karoline Burunsizian, the Fire Department's spokesperson, the victim was a 45-year-old man. Firefighters are still investigating the possibility that another person may be missing among the debris.
"Unfortunately, he was found lifeless. The doctor confirmed the death at the scene, and he has already been removed from the rubble. The search continues for a possible second victim, which has not yet been confirmed."
"Just a few minutes ago, we received information that there may be another man [among the debris]. We don't know his age, but he was also reportedly in one of the houses [affected by the explosion]," she added.
According to Karoline Burunsizian, the firefighters will remain at the scene "until we are certain that the victim is there [in the debris] and we find him, or until we are absolutely certain that this victim is not under the debris."
This, she said, could last all night, with the assistance of search dogs:
"The teams will only leave when we are certain that there are no more victims. It is worth noting that the team from the canine unit has just arrived. We will allow the dogs to search the area where the incident occurred, and they will detect any signs or odors of a living or deceased person."
Liquefied Gas
The explosion occurred around 4:10 PM on Doctor Benedito de Moraes Leme Street and may have been caused by problems in a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) pipeline. At least ten homes were directly affected by the explosion.
Three people were injured, but they left the scene conscious. One of the injured was reportedly an employee of the Companhia de Saneamento Básico do Estado de São Paulo (Sabesp), who may have been participating in a company project at the site.
When contacted by Agência Brasil, Sabesp confirmed that it was carrying out a water pipeline relocation project at the site, which was being carried out in coordination with the gas concessionaire.
"During the work, a gas pipeline was hit, immediately halting the activity and notifying the responsible concessionaire to adopt the necessary technical procedures. While the technical team was mobilizing to carry out the repair, the explosion occurred. The causes of the incident are being investigated by the companies and the competent authorities," Sabesp said.
According to the company, at this time, Sabesp's priority is "to provide all necessary support to the victims, residents, businesses, and other people affected in the area, and to remain available to fully cooperate with the investigations."
According to preliminary information, there was a strong smell of gas in the area. The explosion caused structural damage to buildings and shattered the windows of nearby condominiums.
In a statement, the Companhia de Gás de São Paulo (Comgás) reported that it received a call around 3:15 PM today about a gas leak caused by "work carried out by a third party" at Rua Pirauba, 31, in Jaguaré.
"The team arrived at the scene at 3:37 PM and stopped the leak. The concessionaire clarifies that it was not carrying out maintenance work at the site," the company said.
Third Death in Accidents Involving Sabesp
This is the third death in less than a year in accidents involving Sabesp, which was privatized in July 2024.
Last September, a woman died in Mauá, in the metropolitan area of São Paulo, after a Sabesp pipeline collapsed onto her house. Sabesp was carrying out work on a water pipeline to supply a reservoir.
While sitting on the sofa in her living room, 79-year-old Clelia dos Santos Pimentel was crushed by a pipe that came loose due to excessive weight during the lifting of the structure.
In March of this year, another person died and seven were injured after a Sabesp water reservoir, still under construction, ruptured in the city of Mairiporã, in the Greater São Paulo area.
The victim was a 45-year-old man, an employee of the company who had been hired to carry out the reservoir project.
The article was updated at 7:34 PM to include a statement from Sabesp.