Rio Olympics: Watch the moment a killjoy with fire extinguisher attacks Olympic torch as it goes on journey through Brazil

THIS is the shocking moment the Olympic torch was almost literally extinguished.

The flame is currently making its way around Brazil ahead of this summer’s games in Rio.

But as the torch was carried through the Southern Region city of Joinville, the largest in Santa Catarina State, a nightmare scenario began to unfold.

As the heavily-guarded bearers ran through the streets, a man rushed out from the crowd who were cheering on the pavement.

The killjoy then let loose with none other than a fire extinguisher after getting very close to the flame, leaving spectators open-mouthed.

But before any real damage could be caused, he was thankfully hauled out of the way by security as the torch-bearer stopped in confusion.

Nobody could quite seem to make heads or tails of the situation as another carrier came forward to take over duty of the flame, with many probably wondering why nobody questioned the motives of a man watching the event with a fire extinguisher in-hand.

Organisers will be relieved that no damage was caused, but contrary to legend, the Olympic flame has not been kept burning ever since the first ancient Games in Greece.

It is re-lit a couple of months before the start of each relay, which always begins in Olympia, and went out an incredible 44 times during the build-up to the 2013 Winter Games in Sochi.