Miguel is a fire-brigade chief, married with a much younger woman, do Amparo. When Miguel`s younger brother, João, returns from America penniless, Miguel sugests he joins the fire-brigade to help with his sustenance. People are talking on Miguel`s back, suggesting there more between João and Maria then friendship. Misunderstandings and jealousy bringthe two brothers to an explosive confrontation when it least welcome: when they were jointly fighting down a blaze.