Eight killed in Brazil silo blast, 11 injured

At least eight people were killed in multiple explosions at agricultural product warehouses in the southern Brazilian state of Parana, according to a new balance released by authorities on Thursday. (Photo by – / Brazil’s Parana Firefighters / AFP)

Agence France-Presse

Eight people were killed and 11 injured in a series of silo explosions at the site of an agricultural cooperative in Brazil’s southern Parana state, authorities said Thursday, July 27.

The blasts Wednesday on the premises of the C. Vale agroindustrial company in the municipality of Palotina also left a “last victim” still “under corn and debris from the explosion,” state firefighting officials said in a statement Thursday night.

“Firefighting teams are propping up the structures and moving the corn to finish the rescue,” the statement added.

An initial toll late Wednesday had listed two dead and two injured.

“There was an explosion in one of the silos that triggered a second and a third,” Parana fire brigade spokesman Tiago Zajac told AFP.

Video distributed on social media and broadcast by news outlets showed a vast column of white smoke coming from the site, and Palotina residents reported feeling a tremor as windows in several homes were blown out.

C. Vale, a major producer of soybeans, wheat and corn, in a statement confirmed that a “large-scale accident hit our central grain reception unit in Palotina… due to causes yet to be determined.”

Company boss Alfredo Lang said in a video he was “appalled by the tragedy,” adding that a technical team was working on determining the causes.

Several dozen firefighters were deployed to the municipality of about 30,000 inhabitants.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva sent his “condolences and solidarity to the workers and their families” in a message published on Twitter, now called X. – gb

Popular

PBBM ramps up agri support: Admin to expand P20 rice rollout, plant 15M coconut seedlings

By Brian Campued Vowing to give his all in the last three years of his administration, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. vowed to expand programs...

PBBM lauds PH standing on global stage, expresses gratitude to OFWs

By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. praised the integrity of the Philippines on the global stage, citing the level of respect and...

PBBM tackles future of PH road, rail transportation

By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet In his speech at the fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) held at Batasang Pambansa, Quezon City, this Monday; President...

PBBM highlights ‘zero balance billing’ in DOH hospitals, touts improved PhilHealth benefits

By Brian Campued President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. assured the public that they no longer have to pay for basic accommodation services in Department of...