Giulia Panchoni Righetto, 26, was with her boyfriend and their three friends yesterday afternoon when the São Francisco Church and Convent in Salvador, Brazil suddenly collapsed
Brazil: Moments after a church roof caves in at popular tourist spot
A young woman was horrifically killed in front of her boyfriend after the roof of a famous church caved in and collapsed.
Giulia Panchoni Righetto was with her partner and three friends yesterday afternoon at the São Francisco Church and Convent in Salvador, Brazil., when the building suddenly caved in.
The 26-year-old’s body was removed from the scene by the police just over two hours after the roof caved in. One of Giulia’s friends was taken to a hospital with a cut to her forehead, while four others were taken to A&E with other injuries. Six people in total were hurt.
Tour guide, Meirelúcia Oliveira, told local media: “When we were already at the door to leave, a huge hole suddenly opened in the church. The wood started collapsing, coming down. I screamed for mercy and ran out that way, and the family broke the door open. We managed to get out and survive.”
Sósthenes Macedo of the Civil Defence explained: “The entire central area of the church gave way. Possibly, part of the roof structure collapsed, and with the weight of the upper section, the wooden framework came crashing down.”
On Monday, a church friar alerted the National Historic and Artistic Heritage Institute (IPHAN) about a “bulging”. IPHAN had arranged for technicians to visit the house of prayer today.
It’s not clear if the friar knew how urgent the problem was. Had he suspected an immediate risk, he should have contacted the Civil Defence or the Fire Department instead, according to the institute. However, fireman Adson Marchesine said: “There was already a restoration project for the church. But there was no indication that the site needed to be sealed off. It was truly an unexpected event, a tragedy.”
The current structure of the São Francisco Church and Convent was built from 1708 to 1723. Most of the interior decoration – with its gilded carvings, paintings, and religious relics – was finished by 1755. The church and convent are part of the Historic Centre of Salvador – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
They are among the most remarkable monuments built by the Portuguese during their world empire. The Ministry of Culture (MinC) and the Institute of National Historical and Artistic Heritage (Iphan) issued a joint statement.
It said: “We express our profound sorrow at the tragic collapse of part of the ceiling at the Church of São Francisco de Assis, in the Historic Centre of Salvador.
“The incident resulted in the death of young Giulia Panchoni Righetto and left six others injured. In this time of grief, we extend our condolences to the victims, their families, and the local community. MinC and Iphan are closely monitoring the situation, working with the local authorities responsible for handling the incident.”
It added: “Teams from the Civil Defence, the Fire Department, and the Civil Police are on site, providing support and investigating the causes of the accident. The property is owned by the First Order of Saint Francis, which is directly responsible for managing and maintaining the building.
“Iphan, as the agency for the protection of Brazilian cultural heritage, has been involved in preserving the site, with actions such as the restoration of the Portuguese tile panels, completed in May 2023, and the ongoing restoration project for the building.
“MinC and Iphan remain available to assist with the investigations and take the necessary steps to preserve and restore the historical and cultural heritage, reaffirming their commitment to the protection of the national memory.