Gilberto Gil rescued from elevator by Rio firefighters

On the night of 2 August, 84‑year‑old singer and former culture minister Gilberto Gil was trapped in an elevator at his residence in the Chopin building in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro. Six members of the 17th Grupamento de Bombeiro Militar were dispatched and, according to the Corpo de Bombeiros Militar do Rio de Janeiro, completed the rescue quickly, safely and without any injuries.

After being freed, Gilberto Gil thanked the firefighters on social media, saying “Obrigado pela agilidade e cuidado. Aquele abraço.” The fire department used the incident to remind the public to call 193 in emergencies and referenced the artist’s classic song “Aquele Abraço.”