Severe Storm Causes Death, Leaves Dozens Injured, and Activates Disaster Protocol in São Paulo

A severe storm with gusts exceeding 100 km/h caused a metal structure to collapse during a medical students’ party in Regente Feijó, São Paulo state, in the early hours of Sunday. The incident resulted in one fatality and dozens injured. The tragedy occurred around 2 am at the Aeropark Clube de Voo Desportivo, located on the edge of the Raposo Tavares Highway (SP-270). Videos recorded by participants show the moment the structure buckles under the force of the wind and the desperation of people trying to protect themselves from the storm.
The fatal victim was the 47-year-old businessman and pharmacist Marcelo Giglio de Souza, a resident of Pirapozinho. He was struck by a tree branch during the storm, suffered a cranial trauma, and died at the scene. Marcelo owned a pharmacy and was well-known and respected in the community. According to the São Paulo State Civil Defense, the force of the storm destroyed part of the structure set up for the party, which was held in a large tent with a stage and metal roof.
Teams from the Fire Department, Military Police, and Civil Defense of Regente Feijó and Presidente Prudente were mobilized for rescue operations. The assistance continued throughout the night. Presidente Prudente Regional Hospital reported receiving 14 injured persons, including seven women and seven men aged between 18 and 67 years. The 47-year-old patient was pronounced dead at 2:30 am. Three others were transferred to Unimed Hospital, and the rest were discharged in the morning.
Santa Casa de Presidente Prudente was also activated and received 21 victims. The hospital implemented a disaster protocol to ensure simultaneous care. The facility reported that most of the injured had minor abrasions and were released after observation. Two patients remain hospitalized in stable condition. Nearly 60 people were treated at hospitals in Presidente Prudente, Regente Feijó, and Pirapozinho. The causes of the collapse are under investigation.
The Institute of Criminalistics was called to examine the site, and the Civil Police opened an inquiry to investigate involuntary manslaughter and negligent bodily harm. In a statement, Aeropark Clube de Voo Desportivo stated that it was not involved in the event, having only rented the space to the event organizer. The club mentioned that “permanent structures remain intact; those that collapsed during the storm were temporary, installed exclusively by the organizer.” The Graduation Committee of the Medical School and the Euphoria company, responsible for event production, issued a joint statement saying that “a powerful storm accompanied by strong winds hit the structure at the location, resulting in a serious accident that surprised all those present.” They further stated that their priority is to provide support to the victims, their families, and colleagues who experienced the moment.
The storm affected a large part of the Western São Paulo region in the early hours of Sunday, with intense rain and very strong winds. MetSul Meteorology had issued multiple warnings on its website about the risk of storms in the Central-Southern Brazil area, with a higher impact expected in Paraná and São Paulo, as reiterated in alert videos. The storm was a result of a low-pressure system moving from Paraguay to Paraná, forming storm clouds with locally strong to severe storms of wind and hail that also caused damage in the Paraná region on Saturday.