A man was killed and another injured during preparations for the 2025 Christmas season at Largo São Sebastião. The incident occurred when a crane collapsed while workers were installing the big Christmas tree at the major cultural spot in downtown Manaus, Brazil, on Sunday morning.
Work at the site came to an abrupt halt around 10 a.m., just as crews were positioning the large holiday tree structure. The moment the crane lost stability, causing both the equipment and part of the tree frame to fall, was captured on camera from different angles.
One of the workers had been on the boom at the time, leaving him directly exposed when the machinery tipped over. In the circulating video, a man, operating the crane in a Santa Claus suit, was forced to leap from it as it went down while several others scrambled for cover. The footage concludes shortly after showing onlookers rushing to help those near the site.
Both men involved were employed by a company hired by the Amazonas State Secretariat of Culture for the seasonal setup across from the historic Amazonas Theatre.
The collapse resulted in fatal injuries to 40-year-old Antônio Paulo Rodrigues de Souza. The Medical Legal Institute later reported that he died from severe head injuries sustained from the fall. His autopsy cited cerebral oedema, cranial haemorrhage, and head trauma.
The injured worker, 47-year-old Henes Libório Ramos, was hospitalised with a leg fracture and continues to receive medical treatment. Following the ordeal, authorities identified the crane operator and detained him for the incident.
Police stated that the man behind the controls, Antônio Benjamin, had been receiving disability benefits from the National Institute of Social Security (INSS). Because of this, he was legally prohibited from working. According to investigators, Benjamin was the one captured in the footage jumping from the crane to save himself when it began to tip.
