Itaipu Fire Department provides support to put out a building fire in Ciudad del Este

Photo Courtesy/ Itaipu Binacional

Asuncion, IP Agency.- Since Monday, Itaipu Fire Department personnel have been providing support to extinguish the fire that broke out in a central building in Ciudad del Este. Together with their volunteer colleagues, for more than 24 hours the rescuers have been intensifying the tasks of cooling the fire, in order to fully control the blaze.

Christian Marín, coordinator of the Binational Fire Department, explained that the Entity provides support with vehicles and different types of special equipment, such as breathing cylinders, which are refilled for all personnel entering confined spaces. He specified that Itaipu’s response was immediate after the request for support from the various volunteer corps in the area.

“The vehicles we are currently working with on the fire have the capacity to carry respirable air, which is the element used in the cylinders carried by firefighters on their backs, so they can breathe and carry out their work. Itaipu has this equipment, which is very necessary for this type of intervention,” said Marín.

Among other things, he reported that the fire is, to some extent, under control and that the current work consists of cooling the structure. He also said that the Entity, since its beginnings, has provided this type of cooperation in cases of emergency.

“It is customary for Itaipu to provide this type of service to all fire departments that request it. Whatever the type of service, whether it is fire, rescue, aquatic services, diving, we are always available to the public to collaborate in any way we can,” he said.

The origin of the fire is still unknown. Citizens are urged to avoid walking around the building due to the risk of the structure collapsing and other factors.

Health Ambulances

Ambulances from the Tesãi Foundation are working hard with volunteer firefighters and Itaipu to support and assist in the efforts to extinguish the flames in the building under construction, Itaipu reported.

Several people who were in the area of ​​the accident were treated for inhalation of toxic smoke and taken to the Area 2 Hospital, according to Eliceo Cabrera, head of Extra-Hospital Emergencies.

Both ambulance units and Itaipu Fire Department units are on high alert to provide support, in accordance with the instructions of the Paraguayan general director of the Binational, Justo Zacarías Irún.