Serious blaze at Rio de Janeiro carnival costume factory leaves dozens injured

A major fire broke out at a carnival costume factory in Rio de Janeiro, leaving at least 22 people injured, 12 of whom have been hospitalized in serious condition.

Most of the victims suffered respiratory burns, Caliber.Az reports referring to Brazilian media.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

The fire department received the first emergency call at 7:30 AM (GMT 10:30), and approximately 90 firefighters were quickly dispatched to the scene, along with military police officers who established a perimeter around the burning building. The blaze was fully contained after about three hours.

In a dramatic rescue, firefighters saved four people trapped at the rear of the factory. Due to the surrounding buildings' tight proximity, fire trucks with ladders couldn't reach the victims. Without specialized equipment, rescuers used portable ladders to evacuate the workers just minutes before the flames reached their location.

The factory was a key supplier of carnival costumes for several samba schools. With Carnival approaching in early March, the factory had been operating around the clock to meet the high demand for costumes.

Authorities from Rio de Janeiro police will now conduct an investigation to determine the fire’s cause.

By Tamilla Hasanova