A grandmother, her daughter and three children died when a house caught fire after a possible candle-lit ritual.
The blaze reportedly started at around 10:30pm on Monday (12 Aug), at a home made of wood and tarp.
The fire brigade was alerted at 11:03pm, but by the time they arrived seven minutes later, the flames were already taller than the shack’s roofline.
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Locals had managed to break down the padlocked door, but had been unable to get in due to the smoke.
One told local media: “By the time we finally broke down the door, the tarp roof had already collapsed.”
Among the victims were Ione da Conceição, 47, and her daughter Eulália Narim da Conceição Pereira, 5.
The others were Ione’s granddaughters Kathleen Vitoria da Conceição Silva, 14, Marybella Marinho da Silva, nine, and eight-year-old Sophya Hellena Conceição Costa.
The girl’s mother, who is Ione’s daughter, lives nearby and has tried to save her family but in vain.
The victims’ bodies were taken from the scene in Planaltina near Brasília, Brazil, for examination.
The firefighters also removed two gas cylinders from the house, as reported by Need To Know.
Police are investigating the case and working to determine the cause of the fire.
But one possible explanation has already been put forward.
Ione’s friend, Ana Carolina Pereira, 24, said: “I saw Ione and the youngest child on fire. I started screaming, but I couldn’t get them out.
“I’m sure the fire was caused by the candle she lit on the altar. She did it for the souls of the departed.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to get that image out of my mind. I saw it all unfold.”
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