At least 1,000 people in Sao Paulo were left homeless yesterday, after an intense fire broke out and destroyed several homes in one of the city's shanty towns.
The fire began shortly before 6:00pm local time (2100 GMT). Some of the flames reached up to 20 metres into the air, forcing most of Diogo Pires' residents to flee their homes.
Fire officials believe the intense flames may have been caused by a short circuit, but said they would not know until the investigation is finalised in the next thirty days.
No deaths or serious injuries were reported.
According to TV Globo, four people were treated for smoke inhalation by paramedics at the scene.
Two hours after it began, fire-fighters managed to contain the flames to an area of about one square kilometre.
Chief fire-fighter Wagner Donda said the rescue workers arrived quickly to the scene, but said the area was simply too large to control.
According to TV Globo, eighty five fire-fighters and twenty seven trucks were involved in the rescue.
"I lost everything, I lost all of my children's belongings, I lost cans of milk. I lost everything," resident Cristina das Dores told TV Globo.
This is the fourth time shanty towns in this area have been destroyed by fires.
According to newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo, municipal authorities are attempting to build condominiums in the 168-thousand square metre terrain that has been occupied by irregular housing since the 1960's.
APTN