Explosion in Jaguaré, SP destroys up to ten houses, leaves one dead and injured after street work

A liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) explosion on Rua Doutor Benedito de Moraes Leme, on Monday afternoon (11), left at least one dead, three injured, and destroyed up to ten properties. Residents reported a strong gas smell in the area since early afternoon. The preliminary cause is a Sabesp construction project that hit Comgás’s piped gas pipeline.

An **explosion in the Jaguaré neighborhood**, in the west zone of São Paulo, left at least **one dead** and **three injured** on Monday afternoon, **May 11, 2026**. The explosion occurred around **4:10 PM**, at the intersection of **Rua Doutor Benedito de Moraes Leme** and **Floresto Bandecchi**, and destroyed **up to ten properties** in a local community, according to a preliminary report released by the São Paulo State Military Police Fire Department (PMESP). A **neighboring residential building** was also hit, with shattered windows on several floors, and its residents were evacuated by the **Civil Defense** for structural assessment. The preliminary cause, according to the corporation, was a **liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) explosion**, popularly known as cooking gas, caused by the **perforation of a pipeline during a Sabesp construction project** on the street. The fatal victim, a **45-year-old** man, died buried under the rubble of one of the collapsed houses, according to information released by SBT News. Teams from **Comgás**, the concessionaire responsible for the city’s piped gas network, were on site after being called to contain a leak. The governor of São Paulo, **Tarcísio de Freitas**, summoned representatives of the companies involved for explanations later that afternoon.

And what makes the case even more serious is what happened in the hours leading up to the explosion.

What you will understand in this text

The exact chronology of the tragedy, hour by hour, on Monday afternoon.
Why residents claim to have warned about the gas smell hours before the explosion.
The testimony of the resident who survived buried for 40 minutes.
The divergence between Sabesp and Comgás regarding responsibility for the work.
How many vehicles, how many rescued, and what the current situation is on site.

The afternoon’s chronology

Gas explosion in Jaguaré, west zone of SP, destroyed up to 10 properties, killed one man and injured three people. Preliminary cause is Sabesp work on pipeline.

The reconstruction of what happened, based on testimonies collected by Folha de S.Paulo, UOL, O Globo, and CNN, follows a clear sequence.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

“I was trapped, nowhere to run”

The most detailed account of what happened in the first few minutes came from resident Carlos Henrique, in an interview with Folha de S.Paulo.

“Around noon, 1 PM, a very strong gas smell started. I even messaged my girlfriend to warn her. Suddenly, I only heard the explosion and the house falling on top of me. I only managed to hug the dog and get out of the rubble, but I stayed there for about 40 minutes until rescue arrived to help me. I was trapped, nowhere to run. With the help of the firefighters, I managed to get out through the neighbors’ house,” he reported.

Upon confirming the situation to the report, he stated he was physically well.

Captain Karoline Burunsizian, spokesperson for the Fire Department (Corpo de Bombeiros), confirmed in a press conference at the scene that relatives of a man reported his disappearance shortly after the impact. The search for the missing person became a priority for the rescue operation later in the afternoon, with the reinforcement of the K9 unit for locating people under rubble.

At least five animals were rescued alive by the Civil Defense (Defesa Civil) until early evening, according to the corporation.

The divergence between Sabesp and Comgás

Here is the point that authorities must continue to investigate in the coming hours and days.

Sabesp, in an official statement, confirmed that it was carrying out work at the site since the previous Friday. According to the company, “during the mobilization of the technical team to carry out the repair, the explosion occurred,” and “the causes of the incident are being investigated by the companies and competent authorities.” The company also stated that it “continues to provide all necessary support to the victims, residents, merchants, and other impacted individuals, remaining available to fully cooperate with the investigations.”

Comgás, in turn, released a statement affirming that the work was not its responsibility, but rather “of third parties”, without explicitly naming Sabesp. The concessionaire, responsible for the entire piped gas network in the city of São Paulo, did not respond to Folha de S.Paulo regarding whether it was monitoring the operation at the time of the accident, although it was at the scene responding to a prior call about a leak.

A director of the Civil Defense, interviewed by the same report, stated that Sabesp was responsible for covering hotel costs for the displaced families. When asked to confirm the information, the company did not respond if it would assume the costs.

The formal investigation into the technical responsibilities for the accident will be carried out by the Fire Department and the Civil Police (Polícia Civil), with expert reports expected to be concluded in the coming days.

Assistance to the injured

By 6 PM, three people had been rescued alive, according to the Civil Defense balance. Two of them were taken to the Osasco Regional Emergency Room, in Greater São Paulo. The third received assistance from the firefighters themselves at the scene. One of the injured is a Sabesp employee, who was at the construction site at the time of the explosion.

According to authorities, none of the three are at risk of death.

The fatal victim, initially identified as a 45-year-old man, was located under the rubble of one of the collapsed residences. The circumstances of death and full identity are expected to be confirmed by the Civil Police in the coming hours.

The political reaction

The governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas, summoned representatives of the involved companies (Sabesp and Comgás) for an accountability meeting later in the afternoon. The information was confirmed by Folha de S.Paulo and VEJA, based on sources from Palácio dos Bandeirantes.

Sabesp underwent a privatization process concluded in 2024, during the current Tarcísio government, ceasing to be a majority state-owned company to become publicly traded with participation from the state of São Paulo. Comgás is controlled by the Cosan group, owned by businessman Rubens Ometto, and serves over 2.5 million consumer units in Greater São Paulo. Both companies are under public scrutiny in the coming hours.

The ongoing risk

The Fire Department warned, later in the afternoon, of the risk of new leaks in the region. Residents of nearby streets were advised to leave the area until the incident was fully stabilized. The Civil Defense maintains active expert assessment in the residential building next to the explosion site, which had its structure potentially affected by the impact.

Electricity and piped gas supply in part of the neighborhood were temporarily cut off as a safety measure. There is no forecast for restoration.

The search operation for the missing person continues through the night, with heavy machinery and sniffer dogs.

What to expect in the coming hours

Authorities are expected to release an updated bulletin tonight and tomorrow morning (Tuesday), with information on identified fatality, condition of the injured, location of the missing person, and final number of destroyed properties. The companies involved must present a formal accountability report to the state government and the Public Prosecutor’s Office of São Paulo. The Civil Police have opened an inquiry.

This report is being updated.