Brazil’s Antarctica station fire kills two sailors

Two Brazilian sailors were killed and one was injured after a fire broke out at a naval research station in Antarctica yesterday, authorities reported The fire occurred at the Comandante Ferraz station on King George Island, according to the (CNN). The sailors were trying to extinguish a fire that broke out in the engine room of the facility. Brazilian military police are investigating the cause. The station is home to researchers who conduct studies on the effects of climate change in Antarctica and its implications on the planet, according to the Ministry of Science and Technology and Innovation. The Brazilian navy estimated there were 32 civilians and 12 sailors at the station when the fire broke out. Remaining personnel on the base were transferred to Chilean base Eduardo Frei in southern Chile and were expected to return to Brazil some time on Monday, according to the Brazilian Foreign Ministry. The Brazilian Defense Minister Celso Amorim said that the Antarctica program will continue, despite much of the station being destroyed by fire and with it, many materials and equipment used for research. He said the nation has a 30-year commitment to the project.