Victim says explosion in building was criminal.
German national Markos Maria Muller told doctors at Miguel Couto Hospital that the explosion in apartment 1.001 in São Conrado was a criminal act. He suffered stab wounds to his chest, neck, and buttocks, and half his body was burned. He also claimed the residence was broken into. An investigation is underway into a visit he received the day before the explosion; there is suspicion it may have been a male prostitute. Police are also investigating reports that, six days before the explosion, gas consumption in Markos's apartment increased fourfold compared to the monthly average.
Rio 247 German national Markos Maria Muller told doctors at Miguel Couto Hospital that the explosion in apartment 1.001 in São Conrado was a criminal act. Showing signs of stab wounds to his chest, neck, and buttocks, and with half his body burned, he also said that the residence had been broken into.
"He arrived saying that a man broke into the apartment, robbed him, terrorized him using a knife to cut him, and then said he was going to blow everything up," the hospital employee told the newspaper Extra.
The visit the German man received the day before the explosion is being investigated. There is suspicion that it was a male prostitute. As a result of the explosion, Muller lost kidney function, and the risk of death exceeds 90%.
The Civil Police suspect robbery due to the discovery of a heater hose. The object was intact and may have been removed to cause a leak. However, they are also investigating information provided by CEG to the Rio de Janeiro Energy and Sanitation Regulatory Agency (Agenersa) that, six days before the explosion, gas consumption in Markos's apartment increased to four times the monthly average.
Of the 5.985.773 million households in Rio de Janeiro, only 1.017.745 million have home insurance, according to the National Federation of General Insurance (FenSeg). The penetration of this service is only 17%, a still very small rate according to the institution's executive director, Neival Freitas.
"Rio is in fourth place in the ranking in Brazil. People think that home insurance is as expensive as car insurance, but that's not the reality," he said. São Paulo is the state with the most insured homes, covering 28% of houses. Nationally, the rate of insured properties reaches 13%.