Seven-story Residential Building Collapses in Fortaleza, Capital of Ceará State

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – A seven-story residential building collapsed today, October 15th, in Fortaleza, the capital of Ceará. Rescue teams and the Civil Defense are working on the site with the help of sniffer dogs and drones to locate and rescue the victims.

According to the firefighters, at least three victims that have been located are still buried but alive, five people have been rescued alive and one person was found dead.

The firefighters have a list of nine names of people who have not yet been located, but it is uncertain whether they were in the building at the time of the accident. According to officials, there is no risk to nearby buildings.

The Regional Council of Engineering and Agronomy (CREA) of Ceará State claims to have been notified that the building would undergo maintenance work. The Fortaleza mayoralty, however, advised that they had received no such information on possible works in the building.

Fortaleza’s mayor, Roberto Cláudio, expressed support for the victims and their families and promised a thorough investigation. According to him, there are teams of psychologists and social workers to support those involved who are still waiting for further information.

This is the second case of a collapsing residential building in Fortaleza. In early June, another residential condominium suffered structural damage and collapsed partially.

Source: Agência Brasil