Two people died because of the fire in the Brazilian Antarctic research station. Victims were evacuated by helicopter to the Chilean Frei station and will fly to Punta Arenas in an Argentinean Air Force plane.
Today in the early morning a fire burned part of the Brazilian station Comandante Ferraz in Antarctica resulting in two dead people and several injured. The Brazilian Navy stated that the fire broke out in the machine room and then extended to the rest of the facilities.
Although the total numbere of injured has not been disclosed, fire might have affected seriously the station facilities since it is formed by different modules connected to each other forming a major building.
Rescue operations are carried out by members of the Brazilian crew supported by Chilean helicopters and the Argentinean and Polish ships which were sailing the area.
Comandante Ferraz is the only Brazilian station in the Antarctic Continent and concentrates both its scientific and logistic activity in Antarctica. When the fire broke out there were around 50 people in the station among scientists and military men.
The station is located in 25 de Mayo Island in the South Shetland Islands, in the northern area of the Antarctic Peninsula. It is close to stations from other countries like the Argentinean Jubany base, the Chilean Frei station and the Uruguayan Artigas station which are all in the same island, what made the assistance easier.
The Brazilian polar research vessel Almirante Maximiano which provides transport to and from the station left today Punta Arenas to area of the disaster.
Comandante Ferraz was visited in February 2008 by former president Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva who enhanced the country’s activity in the continent.
Comandante Ferraz Station pictures
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