Brazil fire: 10 killed in homeless guesthouse fire

The fire erupted in the middle of the night, gutting the building

A fire has destroyed a guesthouse for the homeless in southern Brazil, killing at least 10 people.

The fire broke out early on Friday in the city of Porto Alegre. At least 13 people were taken to hospital, some in critical condition, officials say.

About 30 people were believed to be living at the guesthouse at the time of the fire. The cause is unknown.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva sent his condolences to victims' families in a post on X.

He said that the guesthouse was used to house people in "vulnerable" situations. Porto Alegre Mayor Sebastião Melo declared three days of official mourning in the city.

Firefighters were called to the three-story building at 02:00 local time (05:00 GMT) and brought the fire under control within two hours.

It is unclear whether the shelter was operating legally. The fire department says it did not have a permit but this was denied by a city official.

It comes 11 years after a deadly fire in the same state shocked the country.

More than 240 people died and hundreds were injured after a flare was set off inside a nightclub in the Santa Maria, trapping hundreds inside and setting the building alight.