What is The Truth Behind The Viral Video and the Statue of Liberty Collapse News?

A severe storm swept through southern Brazil on December 15, 2025, toppling a large Statue of Liberty replica outside a Havan megastore in Guaíba. Strong wind gusts bent the structure forward before it collapsed. No injuries were reported as staff cleared the area in time.

The incident happened Monday afternoon in Guaíba, part of the Porto Alegre metropolitan region in Rio Grande do Sul. Wind gusts reached 80 to 90 km/h as a cold front hit extreme heat. Civil Defense had already issued red-level alerts across the state.

The Statue of Liberty replica, installed outside a Havan department store, stood along the BR-116 highway, near a McDonald’s. The upper 24-meter structure collapsed forward. It shattered on impact. The 11-meter concrete base stayed intact. The full height reached nearly 35 meters before the fall.

Store employees reacted fast. They moved vehicles and sealed the parking lot. No one was hurt as the area was mostly empty at the time.

Guaíba Mayor Marcelo Maranata confirmed wind speeds and praised the response. Municipal crews and Civil Defense cleared debris within hours. Havan restricted access but kept store operations running in safe areas.

Brazil’s Civil Defense had warned residents through cell broadcast alerts, even on silent phones. Other cities reported hail, roof damage, flooding, and fallen trees. Power systems stayed stable.

Investigation Into Statue of Liberty Collapse News

Havan said the statue met engineering standards and had valid technical certifications since its installation in 2020. The company launched an internal investigation to assess whether factors beyond weather played a role.

This was not the first case. A similar collapse incident happened in 2021 during a cyclone.