SKYSCRAPR Suspicion of arson

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33452, 6 February 1974, Page 11

SKYSCRAPR Suspicion of arson

(A Zr .4 Reuter—Copyright i SAO PAULO (Brazilt February 5. Arson squad detectives are examining the possibility that the Sao Paulo skyscraper fire, which killed at least 227 people, was started deliberately: they have found a badly-charred drum which had contained paint-thinning [fluid on the twelfth floor of | the building, where the blaze began A detective who was passing the building when the fire broke out was the first to have doubts that it was caused by an electrical fault he thought then that the smoke pouring from the twelfth-floor windows was the kind produced by burning thinning fluid A telephonist in the build ing has told the police that she received an anonymous threat of arson 15 minutes before the fire occurred. There was a short-circuit in the building's electrical system, but this mas 1 hate been caused by the fire it self The Mayor of Sao Paulo (Mr Miguel Colassuono) believes that the fire spread rapidly upwards because large quantities of flammable plastic materials were used in the construction of the building In addition to the 227 known dead, 62 people are ,missing