RIO de Janeiro, Brazil (AFP) — At least six people died in Brazil on Sunday after two helicopters collided in western Rio de Janeiro, firefighters said.

The helicopters crashed into the parking lot of an electric car dealership, igniting a fire that engulfed at least 20 vehicles.

A statement from firefighters said that initial reports pointed to a mid-air collision, adding “six fatalities have been confirmed, all were crew members of the aircraft involved in the accident”.

Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere said that there were “foreign nationals on board one of the aircraft” without giving further details.

Fire services spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Fabio Contreiras told
CNN Brasil at the scene that it was unclear exactly how the accident unfolded.

“Parts of the aircraft are scattered hundreds of metres away, so the information we have is still very preliminary. We really need to get the recordings and videos to understand exactly what happened,” he said.

Contreiras said rescue workers had discovered one helicopter in flames among the electric cars, with five victims inside.

A second helicopter found some 100 metres away was carrying only the pilot, who also died.

The accident took place in the suburb of Recreio dos Bandeirantes.

Images in local media showed a thick plume of black smoke rising from the car dealership, where several vehicles were on fire.

Contreiras said the fact that the aircraft had crashed in the parking area had prevented a higher death toll.

“Given the surrounding residences, the accident could have been far more tragic,” he said.

He highlighted the challenges in fighting a fire impacting electric vehicles, which contain lithium-ion batteries.

“When this type of battery catches fire, it releases highly toxic gases and intensifies both the temperature and the severity of the blaze. Extinguishing a fire in one of these vehicles requires three to four times the amount of water needed for a fire in a standard car.”

Small aircraft crashes are common in Brazil, the world’s fifth-largest country.

Last month a small plane crashed into the side of a building in the south-eastern city of Belo Horizonte, killing the pilot and copilot.

According to statistics, from the Centre for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents (CENIPA) — not including this latest collision — there have been 84 aircraft accidents in 2026 so far, leaving 25 people dead.