Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Two die in fire at Antarctic research base

Updated at 9:43 pm on 26 February 2012

The Brazilian navy says it has recovered the bodies of two members of the military after an explosion and fire destroyed Brazil's research station in the Antarctic.

The blast was caused by a fire on Saturday in a machine room at the Comandante Ferraz base, on King George Island, near the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula.

A third member of the navy injured in the fire is in a stable condition.

About 40 people were evacuated to a Chilean research station nearby.

Scientists at the base research coastal and marine ecosystems.

Around 60 people were stationed at the base when the fire broke out on Saturday morning.

Defence Minister Celso Amorim praised the military personnel's bravery.

"In an act of heroism, they risked their lives to extinguish the fire, but did not succeed," Mr Amorim said.

He said all the scientists from the station had been evacuated to Punto Arenas in Chile, from where they will be taken to Brazil on Sunday.

The military personnel stayed in Antarctica, but sought temporary shelter at Chile's Eduardo Frei research base.

The Brazilian navy said the blaze started in a machine room housing energy generators.

Officials said the two men who were killed were trying to fight the blaze, which destroyed the base.

An investigation is underway to establish the cause of the blaze.

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