In the early hours of Sunday, an explosion followed by a fire occurred at a fuel tank managed by Vibra Energia in Volta Redonda, located in the southern region of Rio de Janeiro state. The incident resulted in one person being injured and two others reported missing, all of whom worked for a subcontracted company. The explosion happened while maintenance work was being carried out at the facility, which has a storage capacity of two million liters of alcohol, with approximately 350 thousand liters present in the tank at the time of the explosion.

Local authorities, including the Volta Redonda City Hall, have confirmed the events. The local firefighters quickly responded by controlling the flames and began cooling down the structure. They stated that their teams are on-site and waiting for the responsible company to transfer the stored material, a critical step before they can begin detailed searches inside the facility. The authorities are aware of the gravity of the situation, particularly concerning the missing employees and their safety.

The implications of this incident raise significant concerns for workplace safety standards in petrochemical facilities and the protocols during maintenance operations. As the investigation unfolds, there will likely be a thorough review of safety measures implemented by Vibra Energia and the contracting company involved. The incident also underscores the importance of emergency preparedness in handling such hazardous materials, especially in an industrial setting where explosions can have dire consequences.