Sao Paulo fire inquiry

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33451, 5 February 1974, Page 13

Sao Paulo fire inquiry

(N.Z.P. A.‘Reuter—Copyright) SAO PAULO (Brazil), February I. The builders and architects of a skyscraper in Sao Paulo, gutted by a blaze in which more than 227 people died, will appear before a court of inquiry tomorrow.

i The court will be sifting [evidence of survivors of Friday’s disaster to establish I whether there was any negligence in building or planning [the 21-storey block. I The city’s Mayor. Mr

!; Miguel Colassuono, has said 'that he believes the reason i why the lire was so disastrous was that the building . contained large quantities of 'inflammable plastic. The inquiry is being held amid a growing controversy over the fact that the buildling had no helicopter pad or[ emergency fire escapes. I The city's fire chief was; dismissed yesterday after (accusing Sao Paulo authorities of a "lack of interest” [in fire precaution. Colonel Jonas Flores Fibeiro also said 'that the city had ignored calls for increasing the tire brigade strength. '; Firemen yesterday re-' '[covered the last bodies from the skyscraper. J A total of 227 are known . to have died in the fire, which raced through the top 15 floors of the building, but [officially 62 people known to have been inside at the time, are still unaccounted for. | A porter in the building; said that the fire was started ! after an explosion in the air-' [conditioning system.