MACAPÁ, BRAZIL — A large fire destroyed about 20 homes in the Baixada do Ambrósio community, in the municipality of Santana, in the interior of Amapá state, on Monday morning. According to Civil Defense, about 150 people were affected by the fire.

The affected families are receiving assistance from the Department of Social Assistance. They were taken to Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes Municipal School, where they are receiving meals, humanitarian aid kits and assistance registering for housing programs and a social rental program.

The fire started at about 8:30 a.m. local time and took about one hour and 20 minutes to be fully brought under control by the Fire Department. The operation involved 16 vehicles from the Fire Department, the Mobile Emergency Care Service (Samu) and the Military Police.

Because the area is difficult to access in the port district, firefighters received crucial assistance from local residents, who used buckets of water to help contain the flames and guided emergency crews through the community's narrow alleys.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Firefighters, however, are working with the hypothesis that an electrical failure caused the blaze, with an estimated 90% probability.

Amazon Agency