A devastating fire erupted in a small hotel in the southern Brazilian city of Porto Alegre on Friday, leaving at least 10 people dead and 11 injured. The blaze consumed the three-story building, which provided affordable housing for single individuals.
**Porto Alegre, Brazil** - A tragic fire has engulfed a small hotel in the southern Brazilian city of Porto Alegre, killing at least 10 people and injuring 11.
The blaze erupted in the early hours of Friday at the Garoa Floresta Hotel, a three-story building known to provide affordable housing for single individuals. According to the fire brigade of the Rio Grande do Sul state, the hotel lacked proper licensing and an emergency fire plan.
Witnesses described a harrowing scene as flames ripped through the building. Marcelo Wagner Schelech, a 56-year-old resident, told Zero Hora newspaper that he managed to escape with only his flip-flops after the fire broke out. "My sister, who lived on the third floor, ended up being burned to death," he said.
Nine of the 11 rescued victims were hospitalized, five of them in critical condition. Porto Alegre Mayor Sebastião Melo expressed his condolences and pledged to investigate the incident thoroughly.
The Garoa Floresta Hotel is part of the Garoa group, a chain that operates multiple small hotels in Porto Alegre. Tragically, this is not the first fire at one of the group's establishments. In 2022, a blaze at another Garoa hotel claimed one life and injured 11.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fatal fire, which has shocked and saddened the community. The building's lack of proper safety measures has raised concerns about the need for stricter regulations for affordable housing in Brazil.
Meanwhile, tributes have been pouring in for the victims of the tragedy. Families and friends have expressed their grief and called for accountability. The incident has highlighted the urgent need for improved fire safety standards and support for low-income residents in Brazil.
