Fire Destroys UFPE Research Building in Recife

Overview

• A large fire engulfed an older UFPE building that housed laboratories for pharmaceuticals, informatics, genetics and the Núcleo de Inovação Terapêutica, and the blaze was controlled with no reported injuries.
• The university says the fire spread rapidly because of materials stored in the labs and that the second floor was destroyed, with an initial damage estimate of about R$100 million and possible loss of roughly 20 years of research.
• The Polícia Federal has opened an inquérito and sent federal peritos to examine the isolated site while the Corpo de Bombeiros completed rescaldo and university teams assess structural and research losses.
• Messages alleging pre-fire threats linked to supporters of Flávio Bolsonaro have circulated online but have not been authenticated, and deputies, the UFPE student body and the AGU have asked for thorough, transparent investigations.
• The Ministério da Educação has pledged funds to replace equipment and to rebuild facilities and said researchers may continue work through partnerships and program extensions while the damage and cause are clarified.