A balloon fell in the early hours of this Monday (22) in the Aricanduva neighborhood, in the eastern zone of São Paulo, caught fire, and hit properties and a daycare center. With a harness (a structure attached to the balloon designed to carry fireworks), it passed through the neighborhood of Itaquera, where it dragged and overturned a car and lifted a motorcycle, causing it to get stuck in the electrical wiring of a pole.
Seven neighborhoods in the region were left without electricity: Itaquera, São Miguel Paulista, Ermelino Matarazzo, Vila Jacuí, Vila Carmosina, Vila Progresso, and Vila Ré. The Fire Department was called around 3 AM to extinguish a small fire in a residence. No one was injured.
According to the São Paulo Public Security Secretariat (SSP), releasing balloons is a crime under Law 9.605, with a penalty of 1 to 3 years in prison or a fine of at least R$ 10,000, due to the risks they pose, as they are made of flammable material and can cause fires when they fall.
According to delegate João Blasi from the Division of Investigations on Environmental Crimes, the Civil Police has already carried out several operations against the release of balloons. Typically, the practice increases during months like June and July due to the São João festivities.
“Those who release them have no idea of the consequences this can generate,” he emphasizes while recalling the risks it still poses to aviation. “Imagine a pilot taking off and suddenly encountering one of these artifacts. It becomes a moment of tension,” he said.
The Environmental Military Police have also been working to combat this type of crime. Just on Friday (19), 12 clandestine balloon factories were shut down by teams during Operation Forest Guardian.
According to the SSP, since January 2024, the Fire Department has responded to 15 fire incidents caused by falling balloons. From June until now, there have been 8 cases. The Environmental Military Police have seized 35 balloons so far.