Businessman filmed irregular construction hours before landslide that killed 4 in Cariacica
Four people were buried during expansion work in Cariacica, in Greater Vitória, on July 31, 2026. The tragedy, which resulted in the death of businessman Vanderson Santana, aged 35, and three bricklayers from the same family, took place in a beverage distributor in the Nova Rosa da Penha II neighborhood. The site, where an excavation was underway, suddenly gave way. The case took on an even more dramatic turn after the revelation that Vanderson had published videos on his social networks a few hours before the landslide, showing the work in progress, which Cariacica City Hall had already declared as irregular and embargoed a year ago, but which had been resumed clandestinely.
Details of the tragedy and the victims of the burial
The community of Nova Rosa da Penha II was deeply shaken by the fatal accident that claimed the lives of four men. In addition to businessman Vanderson Santana, owner of the establishment that was undergoing expansion, three bricklayers, father, son and uncle, died. The excavation work in a ravine, which was part of the project, was the epicenter of the disaster that culminated in the burial.
- Names of confirmed victims
- Ronival Moreira de Jesus (bricklayer and father)
- Rhuan Moreira da Luz (bricklayer and son of Ronival)
- Valdomiro Moreira de Jesus (bricklayer and Ronival’s uncle)
- Vanderson André Santana (owner of the distributor)
The simultaneous deaths of members of the same family, along with the businessman, intensified the mourning in the region, raising questions about safety and supervision of works in the municipality.
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Records on social networks shortly before the accident
Vanderson Santana, who maintained a popular profile on social media with more than 150 thousand followers, used the platform to share his distributor’s routine and the progress of expanding the property. In stories released a few hours before the tragic landslide, the businessman showed the movement of the site and the excavation work. He also published photos and videos alongside the three workers who, along with him, would lose their lives in the collapse. Vanderson is survived by his wife and young son, highlighting the personal impact of the tragedy.
The pain and tribute of families
The wake of businessman Vanderson Santana took place on August 1, 2026, at a municipal school in the same community, Nova Rosa da Penha II. Family, friends and employees of the distributor gathered for the last tributes, although the family chose not to give interviews to the press. At the same time, the bricklayers’ relatives said goodbye, remembering the men’s unity and dedication to hard work.
Rosilda Moreira, who faced the loss of her brother Ronival, nephew Rhuan and uncle Valdomiro, described the family’s deep pain. She highlighted the hard-working character of her brother, who “only lived for work”, and the effort of her nephew, who “left another job to work with his father and help the family”. Family unity was a pillar, according to Rosilda: “Our family is always together. Rhuan was that nephew who is more than a son to us. We helped raise him”, he stated.
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Rhuan leaves behind his wife and three children, while Ronival had a wife and two children. Valdomiro was the father of a daughter and grandfather of a grandson, expanding the cycle of grief and helplessness generated by the accident.
Irregularities and engineering analysis of the work
The construction of the beverage distributor was already under embargo by the Civil Defense of Cariacica for around a year, due to several irregularities found in its execution. The resumption of work, without the necessary licenses or monitoring by qualified professionals, transformed the work into a clandestine and high-risk activity. Engineers from the Espírito Santo Regional Engineering and Agronomy Council (Crea-ES) carried out a detailed inspection of the site on August 1, 2026, seeking to understand the technical causes of the collapse.
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During the inspection, engineer Giuliano Battisti, from Crea-ES, explained that the cut made in the ravine was carried out inappropriately, without following technical safety standards. “A completely straight cut, at 90 degrees, puts both those working below and the properties above at risk. This type of intervention needs to follow technical standards and this, unfortunately, did not happen”, declared Battisti, emphasizing technical negligence.
Crea-ES also confirmed that the work had been restarted without the presence of a technical manager, after an initial project was not continued. The Civil Police’s Specialized Occupational Accidents Department (Deat) is leading the investigation to determine criminal and civil responsibilities for what happened.
Impact and closures on neighboring residences
After the tragedy, the Civil Defense of Cariacica acted quickly, closing not only the distributor and an attached warehouse, but also a neighboring residence. The emergency measure was taken due to the high risk of new collapses, forcing residents to abandon their homes urgently and without a safe return date.
Lucas Dias, resident of one of the affected residences, was at his workplace at the time of the collapse. His parents and sister, however, were at home. He reported that his sister heard a “bang” before witnessing the embankment slide. The family was aware of the work, but believed it had been stopped for a long time. “The work was stopped for almost a year. When it came back, we were scared, but we couldn’t do anything. We just asked God that nothing would happen”, lamented Lucas, expressing his impotence in the face of the situation.
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The closure of these buildings highlights the serious threat that irregular works pose to the safety of communities, going beyond the workers directly involved and affecting the entire neighborhood.
