Fire at Rio’s Shopping Tijuca Prompts Evacuation, Large Firefighter Deployment

Overview

• The Rio fire department says the blaze began in the mall’s subsoil around 6:28 p.m., with the Tijuca unit first mobilized and additional brigades called shortly after.
• Authorities report 13 vehicles and about 40 personnel on scene, citing difficult access to the affected area and the need for ventilation equipment to disperse smoke.
• The entire mall was evacuated, with alarms interrupting a movie screening and images showing crowds exiting and smoke concentrated in lower levels.
• Four people were assisted by firefighters and SAMU, and two were admitted to Hospital Souza Aguiar, according to the fire department.
• Mall management said a small fire in a basement-level store was initially fought by its internal brigade, while a nearby street was closed as the response continued.