Cancer Survivor in Brazil Killed After Beer Keg Explodes at His Birthday Party

Gilson do Nascimento, a 43-year-old Brazilian man, died on the night of Sept. 17, when he was struck by metal fragments from a beer keg that exploded.

Keg
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Image via Getty/Luis Gutierrez/Norte Photo

Keg

A celebration turned into tragedy last week, after aย Brazilian cancer survivor was killed by a beer keg explosion.

According to theย Daily Star, the incident occurred on Sept. 17 inย Rio Grande do Sul, where Gilson do Nascimento was celebrating his 43rdย birthday with friends and family. The outlet reports that some point during the night,ย Nascimento realized the beer wasnโ€™t flowing from the tap correctly, so he calledย the keg rental company for assistance.

โ€œโ€ฆย They gave him instructions on how to start fixing it until they arrived,โ€ one of his nieces told the Daily Star. โ€œThe beer wasnโ€™t coming out, only foam.โ€

Nascimento, who owns a locksmith company, began tinkering with the keg at around 6 p.m. local time; but in the midst of his efforts, the barrel reportedly exploded, causing metal fragments to hit his head. The Daily Star reports the manโ€™s wife, sister, and 15-year-old son were in attendance.

โ€œWe are interviewing witnesses at the scene at the time of the incident,โ€ Police spokesperson Clovis Nei da Silva told the publication, addingย Nascimentoโ€™s death is being investigated as an accident.ย โ€œFor now, the incident has been registered and an autopsy has been requested.โ€

A lawyer for Chopp Expressโ€”the company that reportedly supplied the kegโ€”said Nascimento was toldย not to touch the dispenser as he waited for a repair man to arrive. Attorney Jose Adelmo de Oliveira claims theย Nascimento had been killed by the time the technician arrived at the party. Investigators are now trying to determine whether the keg was faulty.

The tragedy came about six years afterย Nascimento had beat cancer. An autopsy was reportedly performed on Sept. 18 and he was buried on the day after.

โ€œHe was a warrior, a working man, a wonderful family man,โ€ his godmother, Angela Maria de Oliveira, told Brazilian outlets. โ€œHe was everything to us. He will be sorely missed in our lives, it was a full house with him, always a full house.โ€

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