Twin-Engine Plane Crashes into Gramado Furniture Store; All Nine Aboard Dead, Fifteen Injured

Dec 22, 2024, 02:25 PM

A twin-engine small plane crashed into a commercial area in the center of Gramado, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, around 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, resulting in the deaths of all nine people on board, according to Governor Eduardo Leite. The aircraft, which departed from Canela and was en route to Jundiaí in São Paulo, struck a building's chimney before losing altitude and colliding with a furniture store on Avenida das Hortênsias, one of the city's main thoroughfares. The impact caused an explosion and subsequent fire that affected nearby shops, a hotel, and residences. At least 15 people on the ground were injured, primarily from smoke inhalation, and were transported to local hospitals. Emergency services, including firefighters and police, are at the scene managing the aftermath and investigating the cause of the accident. Video footage captured the plane's takeoff and the moment of the crash.