Rio Police Question Shopping Tijuca Superintendent After Deadly Fire

Rio de Janeiro police are investigating the deadly fire at Shopping Tijuca that broke out on January 2, 2026. The tragedy resulted in two fatalities and three injuries. On Tuesday, January 13, authorities questioned the shopping center's superintendent, Adriana Santilhana, regarding the incident.

Civil firefighters assigned to the shopping center reported significant difficulties in controlling the blaze due to a malfunctioning smoke detection system. The failure allegedly forced the brigade to use slower equipment, delaying their response. Two members of the CM Couto brigade died during the firefighting efforts. The shopping center has since made repairs and received partial authorization to reopen, though the basement remains closed.

The Polícia do Rio is actively gathering testimony regarding the fire that occurred in the basement of the shopping center. On Tuesday afternoon, investigators questioned Adriana Santilhana, the superintendent of Shopping Tijuca. The police also plan to hear from brigade members who participated in the initial fight against the flames before the arrival of the official Fire Corps.

Surveillance images from the shopping center have already been received by the police and are being analyzed by agents of the 19th Police District in Tijuca. The location has been closed for 10 days following the incident. Additionally, the police are looking to understand the evacuation dynamics during the fire. The responsible delegate wants to hear from witnesses who were present in the shopping center to explain where they were and how the evacuation occurred.

Other testimonies are scheduled, including those from the shopping center's superintendent and those responsible for the Bell'Art store, located in the basement where the fire originated. The company CM Couto was responsible for the technical inspection that identified problems in the Bell'Art store. The testimony of the brigade chief, Jorge Benedito de Oliveira, was taken on Monday, January 12, after being rescheduled because the shopping center's lawyers claimed they had not had access to the case files.

Civil firefighters from the Shopping Tijuca fire brigade stated that there was greater difficulty in fighting the fire due to a failure in the activation of the smoke detection mechanism in the store. According to Alexandre Lopes, the lawyer for CM Couto, the company responsible for the brigade, the alarm equipment did not function on the day of the fire.

The lawyer explained the consequences of this failure:

• The alarm failed to communicate with the shopping center's security area.
• The brigade arrived when it was no longer possible to fight the fire with extinguishers.
• They had to activate hoses, which takes more time to combat the fire.
• The team encountered an adverse scenario with a lot of smoke.

Regarding the activation of the Fire Corps, the lawyer stated that the responsibility lies with Shopping Tijuca. The shopping center reported that it made three calls, the first at 18:12 and the last at 18:22, according to communication system records.

One brigade member and one supervisor died fighting the fire. Jorge Benedito de Oliveira, the director of operations for the brigade, stated in his police deposition that he believes the brigade member Emellyn died of asphyxiation after removing her mask when the equipment's oxygen ran out. Her body was not found for hours due to the thick smoke.

On Monday, January 12, the shopping center announced that it had made all necessary adjustments requested by the Fire Corps and sent documents to Rio Luz proving the functioning of its air conditioning and exhaust systems. The Fire Corps authorized the reopening of the space on Monday morning, and Rio Luz conducted an inspection in the afternoon.

On Saturday, January 10, a portion of the store owners received authorization to access their stores and kiosques to perform cleaning and organize stock. According to the administration, the shopping center is preparing for reopening in the coming days, but no date has been defined yet. However, the basement and part of the first floor, where 14 stores are located, remain closed by Civil Defense.

The Fire Corps issued a statement confirming a new technical inspection on January 10. They found the implementation of relevant corrective measures, including repairs to fire fighting systems such as hydrants and sprinklers. The agency also noted adjustments and repairs to the fire detection and alarm system.

The statement emphasized that the basement (L0) and part of the ground floor (L1) remain restricted until the complete elimination of identified risks. The shopping center issued a note stating that it is collaborating with all authorities and is available to contribute with investigations. The center noted that common areas have been sanitized and all systems reviewed.