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Itaquerão: Civil Police question crane operator

The head of the 65th Police District, Luiz Antônio da Cruz, is hearing testimony this afternoon from José Valter Joaquim in the investigation into the deaths of two construction workers at the stadium; this will be the third deposition regarding the accident; a safety technician and an engineer have already been heard.

SÃO PAULO, SP - 11/29/2013: ACCIDENT AT ITAQUERÃO/SP - Debris from the collapse of the Itaquerão stadium roof, which left two workers dead on Wednesday (27). (Photo: Lucas Lacaz Ruiz/Folhapress) (Photo: Gisele Federicce)

Marli Moreira
Reporter from Agência Brasil

São Paulo - The head of the 65th Police District, Luiz Antônio da Cruz, will hear today (29) at 14 pm the crane operator José Valter Joaquim in the investigation into the death of two workers at the Itaquerão construction site.

This will be the third testimony regarding the accident at the Corinthians stadium. Since Wednesday (27), a safety technician and an engineer have already been heard. As a consequence of the tragedy, work remains suspended on part of the arena's construction, chosen by the International Federation of Football (FIFA) to host the opening of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Yesterday (28), the Ministry of Labor and Employment vetoed the use of nine Cargo Handling equipment at the stadium while awaiting technical verification reports that guarantee there are no more risks. According to the agency, technicians from the ministry continue to carry out inspections on site.

One of the nine cranes collapsed while lifting a 420-ton piece that was to be taken to the grandstand roof. The collapse, involving this piece and the crane structure – a 114-meter tower – caused the deaths of driver Fábio Luiz Pereira, 41, and assembler Ronaldo Oliveira dos Santos, 43.

The forensic report from the Institute of Criminalistics should be ready by the end of December.