Joelma Building — the 1974 fire victims haunt São Paulo's skyscraper

The Joelma Building (now renamed the Praça da Bandeira Building) in downtown São Paulo is one of Brazil's most haunted locations, forever linked to the catastrophic fire of February 1, 1974, that killed 191 people and injured over 300. The fire, caused by an electrical short circuit on the 12th floor, trapped hundreds of workers in the upper stories. With the building's fire escapes blocked by flames, desperate people jumped from windows. The building was renovated and reopened, but the supernatural activity began almost immediately. Workers in the building have reported hearing screams, smelling smoke in areas where no fire exists, and seeing burn victims walking the corridors of the upper floors. The most disturbing accounts describe the apparitions of people jumping from windows, replaying the most horrific moments of the disaster. Elevators reportedly stop at the 13th floor — which was renumbered to avoid the superstition but remains the floor where the fire burned hottest — without anyone pressing the button. The building's address and name were changed to escape the stigma, but the hauntings continue. In Brazil, where Spiritism — a religion founded on communication with the dead — has millions of adherents, the Joelma fire ghosts are considered especially tragic: souls unable to transition because of the sudden, violent nature of their deaths.