Fire destroys trucks at a gas station in Belém; man is arrested after trying to steal a load of toilet paper

Fire destroys trucks at a gas station in Belém; man is arrested after trying to steal a load of toilet paper

Fire started in the early hours of the morning on Avenida Pedro Álvares Cabral. It is suspected that the fire was arson. Flames were controlled after 5 hours of work by firefighters.

By Redação g1 Pará and TV Liberal — Belém

A fire destroyed the cabin of a truck and affected another load this Monday (7), in Belém. A man was arrested after trying to steal the merchandise.

The fire started at 2am in the cabin of a truck. The flames spread to the neighboring vehicle, loaded with 1,600 bales of toilet paper.

The police's main line of investigation points to a criminal act. The owner of the blue vehicle suspects a former employee who recently left his job.

During the turmoil, the Military Police arrested a man for trying to steal bales of paper. The area was isolated to ensure traffic safety.

A fire destroyed the cabin of a truck and hit the cargo of another vehicle loaded with toilet paper in the early hours of this Monday (7), in Belém.

The case occurred in the area of a gas station located on Avenida Pedro Álvares Cabral, close to the Júlio César elevated road. Nobody was injured.

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A man was arrested red-handed by the Military Police on suspicion of trying to loot the merchandise.

According to the Fire Department, teams were called around 2am. The fire started in the cabin of a blue truck.

Due to the intensity of the flames and the extreme heat, the fire spread by induction to the neighboring box truck, which was loaded with 1,600 bales of toilet paper.

Fighting the fire lasted around 5 hours

The work to combat the flames and the aftermath lasted around five hours, being fully completed around 7am.

Sergeant Robson, operations commander for the Fire Department, explained that the corporation faced initial difficulties in accessing the source of the fire.

"We had a little more difficulty due to the [cargo] truck being tightly sealed, which made opening difficult. We requested support from the owner, who arrived about an hour after the incident began," said the sergeant.

Three fire engines were mobilized for action, two of which were for firefighting; one for rescue and a water tanker for replenishing water.

As it is a highly flammable material, the military had to turn the bales over to ensure that there were no new internal fires.

After completing the work, the teams that worked on the incident moved to participate in the official Independence Day parade, on Avenida Presidente Vargas.

Suspected arson

The main line of investigation points to the possibility of a criminal act. The owner of the blue truck informed the military that he suspected a former employee of the company, who had recently left his job.

The gas station's security cameras must be used by the Civil Police to identify movement in the area during the early hours of the morning. An official technical examination will be carried out to determine the exact cause of the fire.

During the turmoil caused by the fire, the Military Police had to intervene and arrest a man in the act. He took advantage of the situation to try to steal bales of toilet paper that were in the affected truck. The suspect was detained and taken to the police station.

The police reinforce that looting cargo from crashed or burning vehicles constitutes the crime of theft.

Traffic on Avenida Pedro Álvares Cabral did not need to be closed, but the area was isolated to ensure the safety of drivers and pedestrians.