A priest who escaped one of the world's worst air crashes has died in a horrific fire at his church.

Father Paulinho do Xoroque had bought a ticket for the doomed TAM airlines flight that left 199 dead when the plane overshot the runway in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 2007.

But he cancelled his ticket on the day he had been due to take off after having a premonition about about the journey.

All 187 passengers and crew along with 12 others on the ground died in an inferno when the Airbus A320-233 crashed into a cargo hub beside a petrol station.

Picture shows father Paulinho do Xoroque, undated. He died in a fire in Porto Alegre, Brazil, June 4, 2025. Note: Private photo. (Newsflash/NX)

Now 18 years later Father Paulinho died when a terrifying blaze ripped through his home and church in Porto Alegre, on 4th June.

The 57-year-old wheelchair-bound priest was unable to flee the building and perished in the flames.

Father Paulinho, who had been left partially paralysed by a stroke, often conducted services at his home.

Firefighters, who are investigating the blaze, say three other people managed to escape unharmed.

Father Paulinho was a priest in Brazil's candomble religion, a mix of Roman Catholic and African rituals.

Picture shows father Paulinho do Xoroque, undated. He died in a fire in Porto Alegre, Brazil, June 4, 2025. Note: Image is a screenshot from video. (Newsflash/NX)

The priest had cheated death once when he escaped the horrific crash in 2007.

In later interviews, Father Paulinho told how he had had a strange premonition on the morning of the flight and refused to board.

He said: "I was supposed to be on that flight, but I changed my ticket.

"I woke up with the feeling, 'I'm going to switch'."

(Simona Kitanovska / newsX)