The so-called party ride at the Matamá parish fair in Vigo, where a 36-year-old resident died in the early hours of Sunday, and whose funeral took place in his native town of O Bolo in Ourense on Monday, did not have the town hall’s authorization to operate.
This is stated in a document from the Department of Governance, Security, Contracts, Festivals, and Municipal Management that Faro de Vigo has obtained. The letter, last signed almost at 22:15 on Thursday, August 1, roughly 28 hours before the tragic event, was sent by the municipality to the festivals commission, which, like the owner, knew its contents, according to municipal sources.
The document makes clear that “the operation of several attractions was not authorized, including the ride in question, for reasons of incomplete documentation.” It was signed on August 1 by the head of the Security and Mobility Department, Antonio Vivero, at 20:42; the councilor for Security, Contracts, Festivals, and Municipal Management, Patricia Rodríguez, at 21:10; and the Government Secretary, Susana Gallardo, at 22:14.
The ride was one of eight attractions that, according to the document, did not obtain permission to operate. Faro de Vigo has not been able to confirm whether the other seven were activated. The association Irmandade de Nosa Señora das Neves de Matamá, which had requested the permits, was informed. The others include a chain carousel that was not registered, and the ‘olla’ a circular ride that spins and wobbles to destabilize riders, some of whom stand. The Jamaica inflatable did not receive approval due to incomplete documentation, the same reason invoked for the ‘tirachinas’ (slingshot).
Authorization was also not granted for the safari ride due to incomplete documentation, nor for the pendulum or the hammer ride, which was not registered. The town hall, however, did grant licenses for the parishes’ orchestras and for a street vendor selling donuts, churros, burgers, and toys, as well as three attractions: the Dragon inflatable, bumper cars, and another inflatable. Two festival stalls, pigeon shooting and the darts booth, also had permission.
The municipality, in a press statement, clarified the administrative process. It noted that the association requested temporary occupation of public roads for the festival. It added that this permit is subject to municipal control and prior authorization. The city records each attraction in a separate file requiring the attraction’s technical project, operating manual, and operations log — requirements set by regional regulations. It did not specify what was missing.
The festival commission includes a responsible declaration signed by the attraction owner, designating a technician-engineer to certify the installation, though it remains unclear whether this occurred. The statement also notes that the occupation of public space will be granted once the documentation is complete and the responsible declaration is submitted.
The commission stressed that, for the ride in question, the municipality sent multiple requests for the missing documents. It also issued a resolution stating that the documents were incomplete to authorize activity. Both the ride owner and the festival commission received written notification of the lack of authorization due to missing documentation.
Cristian González, president of the festival commission, told Faro de Vigo that the organization is enduring a difficult period and that everything now rests in the hands of lawyers. A morning mass at the San Pedro church in Matamá honored Iván Castaño Hervella, the deceased young man. González then spoke to attendees about the unity of the association and extended thoughts to the family, expressing gratitude for neighborhood, association, and commission support and lamenting the inability to understand the reasons behind what happened.
Asked whether the ride had the required permits or had passed any inspection, González replied that the tragedy occurred at the peak moment of the celebration and that authorities would reveal the technical findings. He called it an accident, but insisted it should never happen and added that the organization immediately consulted lawyers after the incident, acknowledging a forthcoming investigation.
A ride arm detached during the incident
The accident occurred when a ride arm detached, injuring Iván and an accompanying person. The Vigo Investigative Court, acting as a guard, opened proceedings to determine the causes of a disaster that once again highlights the safety of such machines. Firefighters reported the incident happened as the ride moved backward.
After the tragedy, Local Police officers requested documentation from the ride operator. The operator presented general civil liability insurance with Mapfre covering at least 150,000 euros and an annual technical certificate issued March 24 for one year, signed by an industrial-technical engineer registered in Ourense and Avila, who stated that the ride met solidity and safety standards for fair and festival activity at that time.
A complex cervical injury with neck fracture was identified as the cause of death in the autopsy. The accompanying young woman was also thrown clear of the ride but survived; she later reported pain in an arm and remained shaken by the incident. Firefighters had to wait for the arrival of the Scientific Police before freeing Iván, whose left arm had become trapped by the ride’s cage.
The investigation continues as national police and the court analyze the factors involved in the accident.
Local parties demand information about inspections after the installation
The local PP spokesman, Miguel Martín, called for details about the inspections conducted by the town council after the ride’s erection and asked for public explanations about whether the installation complied with safety requirements and whether the responsible documentation accompanied the installation request. He pressed the council to disclose whether a responsible declaration and technical documentation were indeed included in the installation request.
The BNG spokesman, Xabier P. Igrexas, stated that, lacking full documentation, the party can only question the government’s briefing. He asked whether the commission received the formal receipt for the denial and why the ride was not sealed by the Local Police. He criticized the government for what he described as a delay in taking responsibility and blamed misdirected blame on the event organizers.