KABUL (Pajhwok): Six people have been killed after two helicopters collided in mid-air over the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, a media report said on Monday.
The incident occurred on Sunday morning over the western district of Recreio dos Bandeirantes, Al Jazeera reported.
Firefighters said the helicopters collided before plummeting into the parking area of an electric vehicle dealership, setting about 20 vehicles on fire.
Fire services spokesman Fabio Contreiras said the blaze was difficult to extinguish because of toxic gases released by lithium-ion batteries in the electric vehicles.
“When this type of battery catches fire, it releases highly toxic gases and intensifies both the temperature and severity of the blaze,” Contreiras said.
According to reports, five people were aboard one helicopter and a pilot was on board the other. All six were killed.
Brazilian authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash and said the review of available images and videos would form part of the inquiry.
According to statistics from the Centre for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents (CENIPA), 84 aviation accidents had been recorded in Brazil in 2026 prior to Sunday’s crash.
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