Catalão, Goiás man dies after two‑hour ambulance wait

On the night of March 21, 36‑year‑old Rafael Vinícius Silva de Souza was found dead in the Jardim Paraíso neighborhood of Catalão, Goiás, after waiting roughly two hours for emergency assistance. Neighbors said he knocked on several house gates, appeared disoriented and repeatedly called SAMU, the fire department and police. Security‑camera footage captured his movements through the streets.

Both ambulances that normally serve Catalão were out of town, leaving no vehicle available to respond. The fire department reported the first call at 22:23 and that its unit was already dispatched elsewhere. Police initially recorded the death as natural, finding no signs of violence. The incident has drawn attention to gaps in the municipal emergency‑response system.