Building Collapse in East São Paulo Leaves Five Dead
4 sources across 2 countries · Brazil · Chile
Who reported this
- G1
- CNN Brasil
- Folha de S.Paulo
- La Tercera
What the colours mean
- Left
- Centre-left
- Centre
- Centre-right
- Right
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A building under construction collapsed onto a neighboring residence in the Penha neighborhood of east São Paulo on Saturday, leaving five people dead. The victims include two women, one of whom was pregnant, and three others whose bodies were located later during the rescue operation. A man and a seven year old girl were rescued alive. The collapse occurred around 2 a.m. and affected a home where several members of a Bolivian family lived and worked in a sewing workshop. One person remains missing as firefighters and civil defense agents continue their search.
São Paulo Mayor Ricardo Nunes stated that the 11 story construction was irregular and had been the target of a 2021 judicial action for demolition due to structural problems. According to city officials, a new permit was issued in 2023 on the condition that the previous structure be demolished. Although a city employee signed a report in February 2024 claiming the demolition had occurred, the mayor said satellite images and neighbor testimony prove the structure remained. That employee has been suspended for 30 days pending a criminal investigation by the Civil Police.
The construction company, New Home, released a statement saying it is conducting an internal investigation and that there is no evidence the incident resulted exclusively from its conduct. A lawyer for the company claimed the project was in a regular situation and that a previous embargo had been lifted. Meanwhile, the Civil Defense is evaluating whether heavy rains that hit the city may have contributed to the collapse.
Reporting on the event varied by political lean. Center outlets focused heavily on the legal irregularities of the construction and the subsequent administrative investigation. Center left coverage emphasized the human toll on the Bolivian families and the potential criminal liability of the city official. Center right coverage framed the event primarily as a consequence of severe weather and regional instability caused by heavy rains.
How each side framed it
- Centre-left
- Highlighted the vulnerability of the immigrant victims and the potential for criminal charges against officials.
- Centre
- Focused on the timeline of judicial actions and the administrative failure of the city inspection.
- Centre-right
- Emphasized the role of heavy rains and broader weather alerts as the primary context for the disaster.
Sources
- Centre CNN Brasil: Building that collapsed in the East zone of SP had already been the target of a judicial action
- Centre Folha de S.Paulo: Firefighters locate 3 more bodies buried after building collapse in the east zone of SP; dead reach five
- Centre-left G1: Building collapse in São Paulo leaves two women dead and four people missing
- Centre-right La Tercera: Brazil: At least two women dead after building collapse onto home in São Paulo
91% of the statements in this article were traced back to the source articles listed above.