A massive floating Christmas tree structure collapsed during severe weather conditions in Maricá, Brazil, approximately 25 miles from Rio de Janeiro, killing a worker and injuring two others on December 16, 2024.
The 184-foot floating holiday display, adorned with 360,000 lights, was being prepared for its official opening ceremony scheduled for the following day at Lake Araçatiba when strong winds and heavy rain caused it to topple into the water.
“As soon as Civil Defence issued a warning of heavy rain at 3.45pm yesterday, the company hired to assemble the tree began to remove workers from the area,” stated Maricá Town Hall officials. “At that moment, they were surprised by a storm, with strong winds and heavy rain, which brought down the structure in a few seconds.”
Vinicius dos Santos Abreu, 21, was rushed to Conde Modesto Leal Hospital in Maricá but was pronounced dead upon arrival. The two other workers who sustained injuries were taken to Doctor Ernesto Che Guevara Municipal Hospital, where medical officials reported they were “out of danger.”
Video footage captured by bystanders shows workers attempting to evacuate the area as the structure began to sway. Several can be seen jumping into the water and swimming away moments before the massive display crashed into the lagoon, creating a substantial wave upon impact.
The floating tree, which was intended to be one of Maricá’s primary tourist attractions, was scheduled for an opening ceremony where visitors would have had access to a special deck for taking photographs near the illuminated structure.
Local police have opened an investigation into the structural failure. The construction company had begun evacuation procedures following the severe weather alert, but the rapid onset of the storm prevented complete evacuation before the collapse.
