High Court rules company liable for Brazil dam collapse – the country’

A judge has ruled that a company can be held liable for a dam collapse which devastated indigenous communities in Brazil and became the country’s worst environmental catastrophe.

At the High Court in London, Judge Finola O’Farrell ruled that mining giant BHP should not have continued to raise the height of the Fundao Dam before its collapse.

This, she ruled, was “a direct and immediate cause” of the disaster. BHP said immediately after that it would appeal the decision.

The case was brought in British courts because BHP was listed on the London Stock Exchange at the time of the collapse.

Brought by the international law firm Pogust Goodhead on behalf of hundreds of thousands of victims, the claim marks the first time any of the mining companies behind the dam have been held legally responsible for the disaster.

The dam’s collapse released approximately 40 million tons of toxic sludge, including arsenic, which spread 370 miles along the Doce River and out to sea. In total, 19 people died, while hundreds of homes were destroyed.

The case has become the largest environmental group action in English legal history, representing a significant milestone for holding corporations accountable and advancing environmental justice.

Gelvana Rodrigues da Silva, who lost her seven-year-old son Thiago in the flood, said in a statement: “Finally, justice has begun to be served, and those responsible have been held accountable for destroying our lives.”

One of the largest civil claims ever in England

The Fundao Dam near the city of Mariana was operated by Samarco, a joint venture between BHP and Brazilian company Vale.

Its collapse happened almost 10 years ago to the day.

With 620,000 claimants, the case is one of the largest civil claims ever lodged in England and Wales.