“Why didn’t they bother to tidy up before the tragedy?

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A video posted by Jairo on the same day of the tragedy and the inauguration of the new bridge went viral on Instagram. “Today it is a year since I lost my daughter and my wife, the most important people in my life, and today they also inaugurate the new structure,” said the emotional man.

According to the survivor, the families who lost their loved ones were not supported by the responsible authorities. “The bridge will be operational again and nothing has been done for the families who lost their family members. It is very easy to work all year round to inaugurate the bridge on the same day the tragedy happened. No one did anything for us. Why didn’t they worry about repairing the bridge before the tragedy, since it was so old and in need of maintenance?” he asked.

Jairo frequently shares photos of his partner Cássia Tavares and his daughter Cecilia, who died in the accident. He remembers the last moment he spent with them before the accident, when they stopped to eat during the trip. “That was the last moment we spent together, and then we hit the road again. To this day, I wonder why we didn’t stay there for another hour?”

The man revealed that he is currently living with his mother, as he cannot return to the house where he lived with his family.

The accident occurred on December 22, 2024, shortly before 3 p.m., when the central span of the bridge, built in 1960, collapsed and a large part of the structure collapsed. The vehicles of different sizes that were making the crossing found themselves at the bottom of the Tocantins River with their occupants.

In addition to the human losses, with 14 confirmed dead and three missing, the tragedy had a major logistical impact and raised concerns about water contamination due to the accident of trucks loaded with toxic substances, such as sulfuric acid and pesticides.

As g1 found, in July 2025, the Federal Police (PF) concluded that the cause of the collapse was excess weight combined with structural deficiency and lack of maintenance. The investigation into this matter is still ongoing.

The National Department of Transport Infrastructure (Dnit) even opened an investigation to determine the causes of the collapse and fired the superintendent responsible for the section, but the investigation has not yet been completed.

“The Dnit specifies that a summary preliminary investigation (IPS) has been opened within the Department of Internal Affairs. The investigation aims to elucidate responsibilities for the fall and, as it is still ongoing, it is not possible to anticipate the details of the work,” he said in a note.

Opening of the new bridge

The inauguration of the new JK bridge took place a year after the tragedy, this Monday. On social networks, the governors of Maranhão and Tocantins celebrated this feat.

Carlos Brandão, governor of Maranhão, said in a video that in addition to being a moment of great joy, it is also a moment of starting again. The parliamentarian expressed his solidarity with the families who lost loved ones in the fall and thanked the workers who participated in the construction of the work: “The bridge was built in record time,” he declared.

Wanderlei Brandão (Republicans), governor of Tocantins, reiterated the accomplishment of having delivered the bridge in just one year. “It is a day of joy and smiles for the people of Maranhão and Tocantins,” he said in a video posted on Instagram.