Tourist killed in collapse of "golden church" in Salvador was from São Paulo.

247 - A tragedy struck this Tuesday afternoon (6) in Salvador, Bahia. The roof of the Church of São Francisco de Assis, known as the "golden church" due to its baroque ornamentation, partially collapsed, leaving one fatality and injuring five others. The information was released by the portal Metropolis.

The deceased victim was identified as Giulia Panchoni Righetto, 26 years old, originally from Ribeirão Preto, in the interior of São Paulo state. She had lived in the state capital since 2016, when she moved there to study Advertising and Public Relations at ESPM. After graduating in 2019, she began working for a multinational company in the food sector.

Giulia was visiting the capital of Bahia when she was struck by the church's structure, located in the city's historic center. The church, a listed national historical landmark, is one of the most visited in Salvador.

Injured and rescue

Besides the young woman, five other people were injured in the collapse. According to the Civil Police of Bahia, the victims were rescued by the Mobile Emergency Care Service (SAMU) and the Fire Department, and taken to a health unit. All suffered only minor injuries.

Rescue teams remain on site, inspecting the rubble to ensure there are no more victims buried.

Compromised structure

The Church of Saint Francis of Assisi is one of the greatest symbols of Brazilian Baroque, with a richly decorated interior featuring gilded wood carvings. However, its structure had been a cause for concern. According to a 2023 report by the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (Iphan), the state of conservation of the temple was already considered "poor".

The tragedy has reignited the debate about the preservation of historical monuments in Brazil and the need for preventative measures to avoid future occurrences. Authorities are now investigating the causes of the collapse and potential liability.