The largest popular shopping center in Latin America, the 25 de Março area in downtown São Paulo, has come to a complete standstill due to the biggest fire ever to hit the area. It took 63 hours for the flames to be completely extinguished, more than 100 stores destroyed, as well as historic buildings, more than 80 firefighters mobilized, millions of reais in damage, and traffic blockages in almost the entire central region.