Shopping Tijuca Partially Reopens After Deadly Fire, Rio Orders Statewide Mall Inspections

Overview

• The mall reopened two weeks after the blaze with the subsoil and part of the first floor still interdicted due to damaged hydrants, sprinklers and structural elements.
• CBMERJ said all shopping centers in the state will undergo technical inspections to verify compliance with fire and panic safety measures and valid Certificates of Approval.
• Brigadistas told police the Bell’Art store’s hydrant had no water, detectors and emergency lights failed, and only a hydrant outside the store worked during the initial response.
• Security-camera footage under review shows evacuation began 11 minutes after the first internal alert and that customers continued to enter or circulate for up to an hour.
• A December 27 inspection by the two employees who later died documented nonconformities at Bell’Art, and surviving team members said the same problems persisted.