A fatal incident occurred on Friday night, February 21, 2025, when a heavy iron roof in the food court of the Real Plaza shopping mall in Trujillo, Peru, collapsed around 8:41 pm local time. The tragedy resulted in eight fatalities, including three children, and left approximately 82 people injured, with 11 children between two and ten years old critically wounded.
The Real Plaza Trujillo is the second-largest shopping complex in Trujillo, a major city on the northern coast of Peru. On the night of the incident, many families were present in the food court, which also housed children’s games.
The initial report was provided by Peru’s Defense Minister Walter Astudillo in a press conference the following day. He revealed that five individuals lost their lives at the scene, and another died later in the hospital. Two more fatalities were reported after his statement. Astudillo extended his condolences to the bereaved families.
Emergency services and rescue workers were immediately dispatched to the site to search for survivors possibly trapped under the debris. Luis Roncal, head of the local fire department, stated that they “did not find any signs of life” during initial searches with rescue dogs, but the search efforts were ongoing.
A witness at the scene recounted the terrifying moment to the U.K. newspaper Metro, stating, “There was a very loud noise and then a cloud of dust where the roof caved in.”
Interior Minister Juan José Santiváñez estimated that the collapsed roof covered an area of about 700 to 800 square meters (approximately 7,535 to 8,611 square feet.) The rescue operation faced challenges due to the weight of the fallen structure and the need for specialized equipment to lift it.
“We need hydraulic cranes to lift part of the roof that has not yet been removed because it is so heavy and to continue rescue operations for those who may be trapped,” Santiváñez explained.
According to the Regional Emergency Operations Centre, the collapse was reported half an hour after the event, which led to delays in the rescue response. Over 100 firefighters and police officers were involved in the search efforts, carefully combing through the debris for any signs of survivors.
The Real Plaza shopping mall is situated approximately 311 miles north of the capital city, Lima, in the La Libertad region.
Following the tragic event, Trujillo’s Mayor Mario Reyna ordered the immediate closure of the shopping center, citing imminent risk, and announced plans to inspect other shopping centers in the area.
A spokesperson for Real Plaza expressed deep regret for the incident and extended condolences to the families of the deceased. They also pledged their full support to the injured and their families and affirmed their cooperation with authorities in the rescue efforts and the ongoing investigation into the cause of the collapse.
President Dina Boluarte, speaking from Lima, stressed the importance of private sector investment aligning with social responsibility and not prioritizing economic interests over public safety. She has been criticized for implementing a law that mandates municipalities to lift temporary closures of establishments within 48 hours.
The exact cause of the roof collapse is yet to be determined. However, initial investigations suggest that environmental factors, such as water accumulation from heavy rainfall, might have weakened the iron structure over time. Official confirmation of the cause is pending.
