The Civil Defense of Palmas closed the building affected by the fire at the Tudo Tem Utilidades store and a neighboring property, with three floors, on block 104 Sul, central region of the capital. The decision was made after an initial assessment identified structural damage and risk of collapse. Other nearby buildings also undergo technical assessment.
The fire started around 2pm on Wednesday (11), at the Tudo Tem Utilidades store, located close to Avenida JK, in the central region of Palmas. The flames spread quickly throughout the establishment due to the large amount of combustible materials inside the property. The store was closed for service, as it would reopen on November 18th.
According to the city hall, the affected property has damaged slabs and damaged parts of the structure. As a security measure, entry into closed buildings is prohibited, including to remove goods and belongings that remained there.
Access will be granted if the assessment carried out by a qualified professional proves that the structure is safe and has authorization from the competent bodies. If works are necessary, those responsible must obtain licensing from the city hall and regularize the situation with the Fire Department.
Damage to other businesses
Businessman Adriano Fante, who had a business on the second floor of the building for almost 10 years, also lost his work space in the fire. According to him, the flames spread quickly and there was no time to remove the company's equipment and materials. Adriano estimates the loss to be almost R$800,000.
During an interview with TV Anhanguera, Adriano also questioned the initial response to the incident. "Firefighters arrived and started to put out the fire, but unfortunately the water ran out. The water simply ran out. A firefighter needs to have tools, needs to have equipment, needs to have water," he said.
The general commander of the Fire Department, on the other hand, stated that there was no lack of water during the operation. According to him, the teams used a hydrant located in the Cultural Space, which has a greater flow than the points close to the establishment, in addition to having the support of water trucks sent by the City of Palmas. According to him, too rapid cooling could contribute to the collapse of the property.
Despite the losses, the businessman said he intends to seek support to rebuild the business and resume activities. “We're going to work, we're going to fight and count on the help of several people to see if we can get up again and touch the ball,” he said.
Large fire
The combat operation mobilized approximately 60 soldiers from the Fire Department, six forest brigades and 12 vehicles. Palmas City Hall also made five water trucks available to help supply water to the teams.
Firefighters worked for more than 17 hours to fight the flames. On Thursday afternoon (12), after controlling the most critical situation, the military began the aftermath to identify and eliminate possible remaining outbreaks.
In a post on social media, the company lamented the fire and reported that there was extensive material damage. Despite the losses, he highlighted that no one was injured and thanked them for the messages of support and solidarity.
Businessman Adriano Fante, who had run a business on the second floor of the building for almost 10 years, estimated a loss of almost R$800,000. According to him, there was no time to remove equipment and work materials before leaving the property.
