184foot floating Christmas tree collapses, killing man in Brazil
Dec 18, 2024
MARICÁ, Brazil (KTLA) — A 21-year-old man was killed when a 184-foot floating Christmas tree collapsed in Brazil earlier this week.
The incident occurred on Monday in the city of Maricá, which is located roughly 25 miles east of Rio de Janeiro.
In the video — seen at the top of this story — captured by local photographer Adriano Marcal, the tree can be seen floating in the water as dark clouds zip by overhead.
Suddenly, the tree begins to tip toward the beach before toppling entirely. People near the base of the tree can be seen moving around frantically as others run onto a pier at the left of the screen.
A 21-year-old man was killed when a 184-foot floating Christmas tree collapsed in Maricá, Brazil, on Dec. 16, 2024. (Credit: Adriano Marcal via Storyful)A 21-year-old man was killed when a 184-foot floating Christmas tree collapsed in Maricá, Brazil, on Dec. 16, 2024. (Credit: Adriano Marcal via Storyful)A 21-year-old man was killed when a 184-foot floating Christmas tree collapsed in Maricá, Brazil, on Dec. 16, 2024. (Credit: Adriano Marcal via Storyful)A 21-year-old man was killed when a 184-foot floating Christmas tree collapsed in Maricá, Brazil, on Dec. 16, 2024. (Credit: Adriano Marcal via Storyful)A 21-year-old man was killed when a 184-foot floating Christmas tree collapsed in Maricá, Brazil, on Dec. 16, 2024. (Credit: Adriano Marcal via Storyful)
Debris can then be seen floating in the water as storms appear to move in.
Local weather officials had declared Monday that moderate to heavy rainfall, lightning and gusty winds were in the forecast for the region that day.
The Mayor of Maricá, Fabiano Horta, identified the decedent as a worker named Vinicius dos Santos Abreu. Two others were injured, according to local media.
Horta also declared two days of official mourning starting Tuesday; the Christmas tree lighting ceremony was suspended until Thursday out of respect for the victim.