São Paulo Court Demands Answers on Train Chaos After Explosions, Fires

The São Paulo State Court of Accounts has initiated an inquiry into the ongoing disruptions plaguing the state's train network. State councilor Maxwell Borges de Moura Vieira has formally requested explanations from Governor Tarcísio de Freitas's administration and the concessionaire, Trivia Trens S.A., following a third consecutive day of significant service failures.

The situation escalated on Thursday when a malfunction on Line 12 resulted in an explosion and fire, causing a complete halt to services. The chaos led to alarming scenes of passengers walking on the train tracks and emergency systems failing within carriages.

The court's investigation centers on the existing contract with the concessionaire. Officials are demanding a detailed account of the contingency plans' activation and effectiveness in response to these repeated incidents. They also require justification for the initial certification that the concessionaire possessed adequate infrastructure, materials, and personnel to assume operations. Furthermore, reports on preventive maintenance, fire department safety certifications, and concrete measures to prevent future occurrences are being sought. Both the government and the concessionaire have a five-day deadline to provide these crucial clarifications.