A 43-year-old man has died after a beer keg exploded during his birthday party and fragments hit him in the head.
The incident took place in the area of Dona Augusta in the town of Campo Bom in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul at around 6pm on 17th September.
The victim, named as Gilson do Nascimento, was reportedly trying to fix the keg when it exploded during a birthday get-together at the family home.
Gilson, who owned a locksmith business, rented all the equipment for the birthday party, but encountered problems when the beer tap would not work.
His niece, who wished to remain anonymous, told local media: “There was a problem. My uncle called them (the rental company) and they gave him instructions on how to start fixing it until they arrived. The beer wasn’t coming out, only foam.”
Police spokesperson Clovis Nei da Silva said the case is currently being treated as accidental, adding: “We are interviewing witnesses at the scene at the time of the incident.
“For now, the incident has been registered and an autopsy has been requested.”
As well as the victim’s niece, his wife, sister, and 15-year-old son were also present at the birthday bash.
His niece said the family is “very shaken” by his untimely death.
Meanwhile, Joao Luis Giovanella, president of the Association of Microbreweries (AGM), said the brewery and delivery company involved are being questioned to establish whether there was a failure in the equipment supplied.
The news site G1 said the company Chopp Express supplied the keg to the victim for his birthday celebration.
An autopsy took place on the morning of 18th September and Gilson was buried at the Jardim da Memoria Cemetery in the municipality of Novo Hamburgo at 11am on 19th September.
Jose Adelmo de Oliveira, lawyer for Chopp Express, said the customer was told not to touch the equipment as a technician was on his way to the house to resolve the problem.
According to the lawyer, when the professional arrived, the barrel had already exploded and the victim was dead at the scene.
Six years ago, Gilson had cancer and spent almost two months in ICU.
The victim’s godmother Angela Maria de Oliveira told local media: “He was a warrior, a working man, a wonderful family man. He was everything to us. He will be sorely missed in our lives, it was a full house with him, always a full house.”
