The SP gendarmerie said the man killed in the explosion in Tatuape, eastern São Paulo, was a resident of a house that was being used as a warehouse for illegal explosives. The accident occurred on Thursday night (11/13), injured at least 10 people, and left a trail of destruction spanning three blocks.
The impact of the explosion was so great that the man was thrown into the backyard of a neighboring property. The body was discovered by a military police sniffer dog. The victim’s identity had not been made public until this report was last updated.
The property owner called police, but the cause of the accident is not yet known.
Authorities said the house was used as a storage area for explosives. Fire Department Capt. Valdir Santos said it was suspected that the space was secretly being used to make fireworks and hot air balloons.
The accident occurred on Celso Garcia Street near the Salim Farah Maruf intersection. The blast struck three blocks, destroying walls and roofs and breaking windows in apartments and cars.
Roads in the neighborhood were littered with building debris and explosives stored inside homes. The SP Civil Defense has isolated the area due to the risk of further collapse.
Residents said the explosion occurred near a gas station. The windows of some cars parked near the scene or passing on Celso Garcia Street at the time of the accident were shattered by the impact.
In addition to one person who died, four others were taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Among them was a 19-year-old man who suffered bruises on his body. Firefighters said the other six people suffered minor injuries and did not require rescue.
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