Frei Paulino Baldassari bridge collapse in Brazil

On 5 June, the Frei Paulino Baldassari bridge in Sena Madureira, Brazil, collapsed, causing multiple casualties and injuries. The 332-meter structure, which had been opened in December 2023, had been closed for preventive reasons the day before the incident after engineers detected cracks and structural damage.

Among the victims was retired judge Edinaldo Muniz, who suffered a traumatic brain injury and abdominal and kidney injuries while filming the bridge’s defects. Following nine surgical procedures and a transfer to a specialized neurosurgery hospital in São Paulo, Muniz was discharged in mid-August to undergo intensive rehabilitation.

Legal and investigative actions are ongoing. The Acre Court has ordered the freezing of assets belonging to the construction company, Construtora Cidade Ltda., up to 36 million reais. While the company claims the collapse resulted from riverbank erosion and prior warnings of soil movement, the Public Ministry of Acre has requested a technical inspection by DNIT to investigate potential flaws in the project or materials.