Firefighters Use Dogs to Search for Victims in Air Pockets After Building Collapse in BH Firefighters deployed search dogs and life-detection equipment to locate 13 victims buried under the rubble of a collapsed building in Belo Horizonte’s Jardim Vitória neighborhood. The incident occurred during the early hours of Friday (5), when a structure housing an elderly care facility, a gym, a tanning clinic, and residential units collapsed. One person was confirmed dead, and rescue teams raced against time to save survivors trapped in air pockets formed within the debris. According to Lieutenant Henrique Barcellos of the Fire Department, specialized tools, life-detection devices, and structural cutting equipment were used to identify signs of life and access potential air pockets where victims might be trapped. “We’re working with concrete and masonry, so precise cuts are necessary to reach the victims while preserving their condition,” he explained. The operation requires both speed and caution to prevent further structural instability. Air pockets, which can form between debris, are critical for sustaining victims’ survival until rescue efforts conclude. Barcellos emphasized the urgency of the mission, noting that identifying these spaces and reaching trapped individuals as quickly as possible is the priority. Rescue teams are also compiling profiles of missing persons based on their likely locations within the building at the time of the collapse. The collapsed structure had four floors. The basement housed a garage with a tanning clinic, while the first floor contained the elderly care facility, which accommodated approximately 23 residents across six rooms. The second floor was a residential unit, and the third floor operated as a gym.#belo_horizonte #firefighters #jardim_vitria #lieutenant_henrique_barcellos #prefecture
