World · Latin America · 2 hrs ago
House collapses beside construction site in Brazil’s Itapema; family escapes
A house partly collapsed while a family was inside in Itapema, a coastal city in Brazil’s Santa Catarina state.
The family, from Brusque, had arrived at their holiday home with their grandson for a weekend at the beach.
The grandmother noticed pieces of concrete falling inside, and the boy was moved away shortly before two slabs gave way.
All three escaped without injuries, though they had to get out through a window and their car was buried under debris.
The collapse also damaged two outbuildings and a garage, and part of a wall at a nearby property was affected.
The home is next to a construction site where excavation had taken place, but the cause has not been confirmed; officials say a technical assessment is needed.
The site remains closed, and the construction company says it has stopped work and is awaiting the assessment.
A house partly collapsed beside a construction site on Rua 290 in Itapema, Brazil, on October 16.
A couple and their grandchild were inside, but no one was injured.
The family was evacuated through a window after debris blocked the main exit.
The family believes excavation at the neighboring construction site may have caused the collapse, but the cause has not been established.
The Civil Defense restricted access to the area while technical assessments were pending.
- Who
- A couple and their grandchild were inside the house.
- What
- Parts of the house collapsed, trapping the occupants inside until they were evacuated through a window.
- When
- Friday, October 16, 2026.
- Where
- Rua 290 in the Meia Praia neighborhood of Itapema, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
- Why
- The cause is under technical investigation. The family suspects excavation at a neighboring construction site.
The family
The construction company
Cause of collapse
The family
The family believes excavation on the neighboring lot caused the collapse.
The construction company
The company’s lawyer said a pre-construction report had already identified problems in affected properties; the cause awaits technical assessment.
Responsibility and response
The family
The family’s account raises concern about the effect of the neighboring work.
The construction company
The company said it had licenses and approved plans, halted work, and assisted affected residents.
The homeowner noticed small pieces of concrete falling inside the house.
The homeowner moved her grandson away from the area she considered dangerous.
Parts of the house collapsed, and firefighters evacuated the occupants through a window.
Civil Defense assessed the risks and restricted access while the cause awaited technical evaluation.
- Location
- Rua 290, Meia Praia, Itapema
- Date
- October 16, 2026
- Occupants
- A couple and their grandchild
- Injuries
- None reported
- Damage
- Two slabs collapsed; a family car was buried in debris
- Adjacent site
- A construction project where excavation had taken place
3 sources
What people are saying
I went to clean, there was a lot of rubble in the living room, in the living room. So I cleaned everything with a vacuum and things. Then a little while later I came back, and rubble was falling again.
My grandson wanted to sit there. I said: ‘No, you go over there because Grandma is cleaning here, it’s dangerous, so you go over there.’ I sat him farther away, and as I left with him to sit farther away, everything fell.
I ran to find him, because there was so much dust, I couldn’t find him.