Fire Department says the implosion over the Estreito dos Mosquitos, on BR-135, occurred as scheduled

The Marcelino Machado Bridge, on BR-135, was successfully imploded this Sunday (1st). The operation went according to plan and required a total closure of the highway.

The demolition is part of the reconstruction of the structure, which had been closed since April this year. The new bridge must be delivered by DNIT by July 2027.

The 459-meter structure was built in 1960. The action was scheduled for October 18, but was postponed due to a lack of legal authorization from the Army.

The general commander of the Maranhão Military Fire Brigade (CBMMA) reported, this Sunday (1st), that the operation that resulted in the implosion of the Marcelino Machado Bridge, over the Estreito dos Mosquitos, on BR-135, was successfully completed.

In a video published on social media, he stated that residents of houses near the bridge were evacuated before the operation and that the central span of the structure fell within the area planned for demolition.

"Mission completed successfully. We have the surrounding houses here, they were all evacuated. The central span, we can see, the bridge fell within what was designed for it. The central span was completely submerged", said the general commander.

After demolition, teams from the Fire Department and State Civil Defense carried out inspections of the area to ensure safety. Traffic on BR-135 will only be released after the work is completed. Release is expected to take place at 4pm.

The commander also stated that, according to forecasts from the National Department of Transport Infrastructure (DNIT), the new bridge should be delivered by July 2027.

The operation required the total closure of BR-135, scheduled to take place from 10am to 4pm. According to DNIT, the closures were scheduled for two points on the highway: at km 22, at the São Luís exit; and at km 40, in Bacabeira, for vehicles heading towards the capital.

The implosion was coordinated by the São Luís Civil Defense, together with other bodies, to guarantee the safety of residents, drivers and teams involved.

At 10 am this Sunday (1st), the agency issued an audible alert classified as extreme to warn about the demolition and advise the population to stay away from the area.

The Marcelino Machado Bridge, over the Estreito dos Mosquitos, on BR-135, which connects São Luís to the mainland, was imploded at around 11am this Sunday (1st). Images recorded the moment the explosives were triggered and sections of the structure gave way after the detonation.

In the video, it is possible to see parts of the bridge collapsing within seconds of the explosion. The demolition is part of the reconstruction work on the structure, which had been closed since April this year after presenting structural problems.

The demolished structure was built in 1960 and was 459 meters long. It was part of the São Luís entrance direction and was closed after technical inspections identified structural problems.

The implosion was initially scheduled for October 18, but was postponed due to the lack of legal authorization from the Brazilian Army to use explosives.

The Marcelino Machado Bridge is made up of two parallel structures. The bridge towards the exit from São Luís, 465 meters long, was not part of the demolition.