Fire in apartment in Copacabana leaves two people injured

On Thursday night (19), a fire in an apartment in the Copacabana neighborhood, in the South Zone of Rio, left two young people injured. To combat the flames, two Fire Department barracks were mobilized.

The fire occurred in a building on Avenida Princesa Isabel, near Avenida Nossa Senhora de Copacabana, close to the border between the neighborhoods of Leme and Copacabana. The fire started on the fifth floor of the building and, according to information, the two Fire Department stations were called at around 9:40 pm, but the teams were only able to control the flames at midnight.

_{Video of the fire was recorded by a citizen who was close to the scene (Photo: reproduction/Instagram/@zonasulurgente)}

The two victims, Henrique Melo, 29 years old, and Maxwell Alves, 33 years old, suffered moderate injuries and were taken to the Miguel Couto Municipal Hospital, located in Gávea.

Another similar case recently

Another building, located 10 blocks from Avenida Princesa Isabel, also faced a fire just five days before the incident on Thursday.

The flames started on the 11th floor of the Richard Building, popularly known as “Duzentão”, and spread to the 12th floor. Fortunately, there were no casualties and the cause of the fire has not yet been released.

_{Another case of fire that occurred on Saturday (14), five days before the apartment fire (Photo: reproduction/Instagram/@zonasulurgente)}

Precautions to prevent house fires

Problems in electrical systems are responsible for approximately 30% of home fires. Therefore, it is essential to regularly check for exposed cables and disconnect electronics that are not in use from the sockets. In addition, it is necessary to pay attention to the instruction manuals for appliances that generate heat, such as coffee makers, dryers, straighteners and showers.

Gas leaks are among the main causes of accidents. It is important to check the hoses and gas cylinder pressure regulators, as the hoses are valid for five years. One way to detect leaks is to perform the sponge test. To do this, moisten a loofah with soap and water and rub it over the regulator that connects the hose. If bubbles appear, this indicates a leak and the installation will need to be replaced.

The last of the main cases involves heated cookers, especially pressure cookers. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that the counterweight valve is always unobstructed and that the rubber seal is in good condition.

A recommended item for fire prevention is the Residual Differential Device (IDR), which has the function of identifying and stopping electrical current leaks. The use of IDR is mandatory in certain places, such as kitchens, bathrooms, showers and sockets that power external devices. However, it is advisable to also use it in areas where there is no such requirement.

If a fire occurs, it is important to call 193 immediately and provide the address, a reference point and report the type of emergency.

Featured photo: Fire in a building in Copacabana leaves two young people injured (reproduction/Unsplash/Andrew Gaines)