A dramatic and unexpected event unfolded during a live television broadcast in Santa Catarina, Brazil, as a power substation explosion erupted directly behind a reporter covering severe wind damage. The incident occurred on the morning of Friday, May 8th, in the city of Criciúma.
Reporter Deivid Morona from NSC TV was delivering a live report on the destruction caused by strong winds in the region when the explosion happened. The video footage shows him handing the broadcast back to the studio anchor, Bruna Radtke, at the precise moment the substation, operated by Centrais Elétricas de Santa Catarina (Celesc), exploded in the background.
The situation in Criciúma was already critical before the explosion. More than 20,000 consumer units in the municipality had woken up without electrical power due to the storm's impact. The live explosion added another layer of chaos to an already dire situation for residents.
Anchor Bruna Radtke provided commentary as the event unfolded, noting the surreal nature of the moment. She pointed out that the short-circuiting was happening live for viewers to witness. She added that the electrical issues had been occurring before the reporter went on air, had paused during his segment, and then resumed dramatically during the live shot.
Following the incident, the news outlet g1 sought official comment from both the power company Celesc and the local Civil Defense authority regarding the cause of the explosion. As of the last update to the original report, no response had been received from either entity.
The event highlights the unpredictable and often hazardous conditions faced by journalists reporting from the field during severe weather events. The live capture of such an industrial incident underscores the immediate and widespread impact of the storm on the city's infrastructure.
Based on reporting from g1.