Crane Topples During Manaus Christmas-Tree Build, Killing Worker as Probe Flags Safety Lapses

Overview

• One worker died after being taken to a hospital and a second remains hospitalized with a leg fracture in stable condition.
• The collapse occurred around 10 a.m. at Largo São Sebastião in front of the Teatro Amazonas, with bystanders giving first aid until emergency teams arrived.
• The crane operator, identified by police as Antônio Benjamin, was on medical leave receiving INSS benefits and had been hired for a single day, and he was booked in flagrante for a custody hearing.
• Crea-AM says a prior inspection flagged an unregistered company and that no ARTs or required rigging plan for the lift were found, while the state culture secretariat maintains the contractor provided the required paperwork.
• Videos show the truck and tree structure overturning, and investigators cite procedural failures such as hoisting with people on the structure and a lack of proper area isolation.