By Ben Tavener, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – A makeshift gas fitting may have been behind the explosion at the Filé Carioca restaurant on Thursday morning in Praça Tiradentes, downtown Rio, which left three dead and many more injured. A length of hose lashed to a gas cylinder value by duct tape was found by contractors sifting through the rubble of the building housing the restaurant, which was completely destroyed in the blast.
According to 5th District Police Chief Antônio Ferreira Bonfim, the finding points towards a possible gas leak, and may shed more light on events leading up to the explosion.
“The hose is an exact fit for the cylinder piece that was found about 30 meters (about 100 feet) from the restaurant on the day of the explosion,” he told reporters.
“The duct tape wrapped around the length of hose only strengthens the gas leak theory.”
Early on Saturday evening six gas cylinders were found in the restaurant basement, Bonfim confirmed, adding that one was apparently leaking and would be investigated further by experts.
The restaurant owner will give evidence to the police this Monday, his lawyer Bruno Castro confirmed, despite his client “still being in a state of shock” following the incident.
Read more (in Portuguese).
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