Brazilian Judge Imposes $48 Million Penalty for Fatal Sinkhole

In Brazil, a judge has imposed fines of R$240m ($48.3m; £38.3m) on officials and construction companies for their involvement in the collapse of a building site in São Paulo. This incident, which occurred in 2007, resulted in the death of seven individuals after a massive sinkhole suddenly developed, engulfing pedestrians and vehicles. The collapse took place while workers were excavating a tunnel to extend the metro system in the Pinheiros neighborhood, when the ground gave way. The judge attributed the cause of the collapse to "negligent" and "dangerous" actions by those responsible for the project. According to reports from Brazilian newspaper O Globo, warnings from experts about the urgent need for support structures in the tunnel were ignored, and the construction work proceeded hastily to save time. Six individuals, including the former president of São Paulo's Metrô, an engineer, and a construction inspector, along with six companies, have been ordered to compensate for their involvement. Although one of the workers passed away in 2018, the judge ruled that his heirs would still be obligated to pay his fine. The sinkhole, which measured approximately 2,200 sq m (23,680 sq ft), buried a minibus, destroyed seven houses, and displaced around 200 residents. Aerial photographs of the site, located in a busy area of São Paulo, showcased the significant size of the crater, with trucks falling atop one another. Prosecutors argued that the disaster had caused immense trauma to the population of São Paulo, Brazil's most populous city. The convicted parties are expected to appeal the judgment.