Overview of the Matamá Fair Incident and Aftermath
Authorities reported that the council emailed the Local Police a document indicating the Grasshopper ride and seven other attractions had been unauthorized to operate during Matamá’s festival in Vigo. The report, signed by the local government secretary, was dispatched shortly before 10:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 1, the same night the attractions began their performances. The emergency response and subsequent investigation focused on the events surrounding a fatal accident that occurred in the early hours of Saturday, when a 36-year-old resident of Vigo lost his life.
According to information obtained by Faro de Vigo, police had been in the festival zone the preceding night to patrol and respond to calls, including two physical altercations and a theft. At around 4 p.m. on Friday, officers returned to Matamá and, as the council stated publicly, no activity was detected. By 11 p.m. that same evening, police revisited the area due to complaints about fireworks. The next police action noted in relation to this matter was the deadly accident itself.
In the council’s statement, it was reiterated that both the ride owner and the Matamá festival committee had notified in writing that the Grasshopper ride lacked proper authorization, failing to meet required documentation. The Local Police joined this list of concerned parties. The police later visited the site on the afternoon of Friday, August 2, and did not detect any activity at around 4 p.m., according to the municipal communication. The police declined to provide further details, noting that a court was already handling the investigation. The municipal note concluded that the tragedy is under judicial review with full cooperation from the council.
The municipality did not specify whether the ride was sealed off, a standard precaution in such cases, as explained by the head of Vigo’s Festivals Group. He recounted examples from other local celebrations, such as last year’s bumper cars at the Virxe do Carme fair in Coruxo, which were deauthorized for documentation issues. He could not understand why matters to seal off were not implemented in Matamá or why those responsible were not contacted by phone. It is commonly reported that Local Police monitor the safety and compliance of amusement activities at these events.
What is clear is that the Grasshopper ride remained in operation hours after the incident. In the early hours of Saturday, a 36-year-old Vigo resident died in the accident. Local residents and attendees at the Panorama orchestra, a highlight of the festival schedule, stated that the ride was operating on Thursday night as well.
Responses from the Matamá festival committee did not fully clarify questions surrounding the tragedy. On Monday, the committee’s president said they were deeply affected and that he had no authority to speak directly with reporters or lawyers, insisting that he was cooperating with the police.
Opposition voices demanded answers as well. The municipal spokesperson for the PP party claimed that the Grasshopper had previously operated irregularly in Santa Ana in Beade, and that authorization was only raised after August 1, once the event had ended. He described this as a clear failure of local governance in supervising the attraction and criticized the lack of public explanations. He also questioned why no sealing had been performed.
Similarly, the municipal spokesperson for BNG submitted a request asking the council to provide all data, information, and documentation related to the permits that allowed the ride installation, along with all evidence of municipal inspections or evaluations, as well as access to police and fire brigade reports. Faro de Vigo had also requested this information from the council.
The president of Vigo’s Festivals Group confirmed that it is common for authorization communications from the council for rides and other fair installations to arrive after the festivities have begun. This has been a recurring issue for years, he indicated. He recalled that even last year, when authorizations arrived during Coia’s celebrations, festivities were already underway. He emphasized that late permission is a frequent frustration for fair organizers and that checking every ride for compliance remains a challenge for the local authorities.
The same source noted that the general complaint among commissions is that municipal authorizations arrive late, even when documentation is submitted well in advance. The council has argued that organizers delay sending documents, and in some cases the authority would prefer not to suspend activities for lack of timely approvals. The president of the festivals group argued that it is rare for council permissions to arrive before the start of festivities. This concern has been widely shared by independent organizers across the city. He added that it is unusual for eight rides to operate without proper authorization, though he did not know the exact reasons in Matamá.