01x03 - Despertar

[bunniefuu]

[suspenseful music plays]

[man 1] The land was intended to be

developed as the club's training center.

[Léo Burlá] It was a huge piece of land,

but there was nothing there.

CLUB BUYS LAND FOR VULTURE'S NES

[Mauro Cezar Pereira]

When Flamengo bought it,

in theory,

it was an opportunity for expansion.

FLAMENGO BUILDS VULTURE'S NES

But after the purchase,

it remained undeveloped for years.

S.O.S. FLAMENGO!

Flamengo's finances became precarious.

They had the largest debt in Brazil.

FLABANDONED!

VULTURE'S NEST BECOMES COW PASTURE

DECAY IN RED AND BLACK

[man 2] It was an example of the chaos

in Brazilian soccer at the time.

CRISIS - CENTER WITHOUT POWER

CLUB MORTGAGES CENTER

[man 3] The situation was

a financial mess.

Flamengo was a laughingstock.

[in Portuguese] There is no more money.

[camera flash whirs]

[Burlá, in English] That's when Vanderlei

Luxemburgo was brought in as coach,

and that's when

the temporary structures began.

PERFORMANCE EXCELLENCE CENTER

The press room and the locker room

were both housed in a container.

There were no ba*ls.

I had to pay for the players' bus fare.

It was horrible. They had to change

their clothes under the water tank.

[Burlá] Then, it all really took off

when Eduardo Bandeira de Mello

was hired as manager.

FLAMENGO CLEANS UP FINANCES

HAS R$ 130 MILLION SURPLUS

An era of unprecedented spending began.

[woman 1, in Portuguese] Today,

Flamengo opens a new and modern module,

costing R$ 23 million.

[Filipe Chrysman in English] The container

was next to the professional dormitory.

I was dazzled by the beauty

being built there.

YOUTH LEAGUE DORMS (CONTAINER)

[Cezar] The youth players were

originally going to live in the structure

that had previously been used

by the professional players.

FORMER FIRST TEAM HOUSING

[Cíntia Guedes] It was the last weekend

the boys would sleep in the container.

BUILDING WAS TO BE SHUT DOWN

Throughout the organization, Flamengo

knew the facility was a dangerous place.

[Cezar] It is still shocking

to think about

how the training center was inaugurated

with so much pomp,

and within that much-celebrated facility,

there was an old shipping container

with kids living inside it,

a container that soon would

become a serious threat to their lives.

It's outrageous.

[panicked shouting]

FROM DREAMS TO TRAGEDY:

THE FIRE THAT SHOOK BRAZILIAN FOOTBALL

[somber music plays]

[birdsong]

[woman 2, in Portuguese] The tragedy at

the Vulture's Nest happened one year ago.

[man 4] Family members of the victims

returned to the Nest

to pay their respects,

but only Pablo Henrique's parents

were allowed into the training center.

The others were barred because

they hadn't requested entry in advance.

Across town,

Flamengo officials attended

a Mass in honor of the victims.

[in English] We didn't come here

to fight with Flamengo.

We didn't come here

to protest against Flamengo.

We just want to honor our children.

One year ago today.

[woman 3, in Portuguese]

Today was the first meeting

of the investigation into the fires

by Rio's congressional commission.

They heard from the family members

of some athletes who died in the fire,

as well as leaders of Flamengo's

present and past administrations.

Attending the meeting

was former Flamengo president

Eduardo Bandeira de Mello,

accused of negligent homicide

in the complaint

filed by Rio's public prosecutor's office.

The presence of Flamengo's president

was highly anticipated

at the assembly's inquiry,

but Rodolfo Landim

did not attend yesterday's session.

[in English] When Landim doesn't bother

to show up to the meeting,

it's the same thing all over again.

"Damn, Flamengo has

really abandoned the families."

MANAGEMENT SHIES FROM INQUIRY

BOARD SHIES FROM INVESTIGATION

[in Portuguese] Such a big team.

Why can't the president come?

They always send

the vice president and the lawyers.

Why can't he come?

I want to ask him to his face,

"How can you sleep at night?"

[Pedro Ivo, in English] Rodolfo Landim

took over the club's management

in January, 2019.

But when it comes to the death

of a child, the families don't care

if it was President A

or President B who was in charge,

if it was Bandeira's fault,

or Landim's, or neither.

They just want an answer to their pain.

But officials just passed the buck.

[in Portuguese] Were you aware that

the Vulture's Nest had issues, or not?

If you were, why was nothing done?

How was this managed?

The president

didn't know about such things.

-[man 5] Did you oversee the containers?

-No.

I didn't have that information.

If I was from another administration,

I would have that answer.

I wasn't aware of the interdiction.

I wouldn't know, Your Honor.

Personally I don't feel responsible.

I don't know much about electrical things.

But I didn't know anything

about the issue with the boys.

It's perfectly believable,

using the words from the report,

that the president didn't know.

Nobody knew.

Everyone who testifies saying,

"I don't know.

I didn't know. I didn't see"

Those responsible must show their faces.

"I signed off on that. I bought that."

"I approved payment."

Would they let

their children live in a container?

Would they let

their grandkids live in a container?

[tense music plays]

[Décio Alonso, in English]

A popular proverb says,

"Nothing is more permanent

than a temporary workaround."

PROSECUTOR

Right? It seems the club's idea was

to use that structure temporarily,

until a permanent solution could be built.

But that temporary solution continued

and continued, until the fire broke out.

[Ivo] Using containers was

part of the culture at Vulture's Nest.

"Put a container here.

Put another one there."

"This one can be a physiotherapy room.

That one can be a weight room."

"It could even be a dormitory!"

[Burlá] The boys' container

had previously been used as a gym.

ROOMS 1 - 6

And it was reassigned

for use as a residential dormitory.

So, on top of all the other issues,

the boys were sleeping in a space

that was temporary and improvised.

[Ivo] The problem goes back even further.

PARKING LO

Instead of containers, the area was

originally supposed to be a parking lot.

[woman 4, in Portuguese]

The site of the fire is very close

to the new accommodation

for Flamengo's professional athletes,

at a distance of ten meters.

However, the dormitory

destroyed by the fire

was not present in the latest plans

submitted to the city by the club.

In the plans, the area where

the structure was built is a parking lot.

[Ivo, in English]

For me, the parking lot plan

is central to understanding the risks

that contributed to the tragedy.

CITY DIDN'T PERMIT CONSTRUCTION

This is a crucial piece of the puzzle.

In the original plans, the container was

never envisioned as part of the project.

[man 6] It's almost as if the containers

were designed to be a firetrap, you know?

There is only one access point,

only one way out.

The windows could provide an exit route,

but they had bars on them.

[Guedes, in Portuguese]

My question is, who ordered the bars?

Did Flamengo expressly request

bars to be installed?

Were they delivered with bars on them,

or did Flamengo install them?

As it was a long time ago,

I don't remember

how the windows were ordered.

I believe all the orders for windows

we've fulfilled for all the containers

have been the same

since the Vulture's Nest was inaugurated.

[Guedes, in English] The internal doors

were sliding doors.

They were made of a material

that expands when it is heated.

So, of course, the doors were jammed.

[Victor Satiro] Sliding doors

usually run on metal tracks.

FORENSIC EXPER

That type of door is completely wrong

for a structure like that.

The windows were obstructed.

There was only one access point.

There were no emergency exits

and no signs indicating what to do

in case of an emergency.

There were no smoke detectors,

no warning devices.

And the walls the walls were made

of a double steel panel.

METAL PLATES - POLYURETHANE SPRAY

They were filled with

some kind of polyurethane foam material.

That material releases

large amounts of monoxide.

So that gas is also being released

into the dormitory.

Steel is very efficient at conducting

thermal energy.

That means the walls

essentially created a giant oven.

[Guedes] Every tragedy stems

from a series of mistakes.

They wouldn't have died in a facility

that didn't make those mistakes.

WHERE THERE'S FIRE

FIREFIGHTERS NEVER INSPECTED CONTAINER

In the complaint, I call the container

"a clandestine structure" for good reason.

Not because no one saw it.

Everyone knew it was there.

It was clandestine because

the authorities were not informed.

When the Prosecutor's Office learned

that the container was being used

as a dormitory,

they inspected it and warned the manager,

at the time President Bandeira,

saying, "This is not allowed."

CITY SUED FLAMENGO

OVER VULTURE'S NEST HOUSING

[Guedes] There were

a number of violations.

A court decision ruled that

the irregularities could not remain.

IMMEDIATE INTERDICTION OF ACTIVITIES

The club completely ignored the ruling

and did not comply.

The kids stayed in the container.

[Bandeira, in Portuguese] Yes, I found out

about all this after the fire happened.

I wasn't president by then.

Of course, I learned about

what was happening regarding the permits,

facilities, and stuff.

I tried to learn everything,

but all I know is what I tried to learn

after I left the presidency

of the club and after the tragedy.

BANDEIRA DE MELLO SAYS

INTERDICTION NEVER REACHED THE PRESIDENCY

[Alonso, in English] And specifically

regarding Bandeira de Mello,

the president at the time

the decisions were made

INSTITUTIONAL CARE

OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

he was personally, directly,

and completely aware of the issues.

Officials from the Prosecutor's Office,

City Hall,

and the Fire Department went there.

PUBLIC PROSECUTOR OF RIO DE JANEIRO

At least three official documents

have his signature.

Three of the four documents I'm talking

about have his personal signature.

So, either he knew,

or we have to assume that

he signed things without reading them.

FIGURE 02. AERIAL VIEW OF THE DORMITORY

[Ivo] This is where the tragedy occurred,

in a metal, improvised structure.

And this is the five-star accommodation

for the professional players.

So this shows you

what was truly important to them,

where their focus really was,

which was on the professional team.

That was the priority.

And what could be figured out later?

The boys in the youth league.

[poignant music plays]

[Marinho Saldanha] The boys were

just workhorses. Cogs in a machine.

They were supporting a system

that was firmly rooted in production,

governed by the principles

of profit and loss.

[Guedes] The boys are part

of a larger investment strategy,

and sometimes, in market terms,

the less you spend, the more you make.

It's all about the profit margin.

[man 7] The managers look

at these kids like they're a commodity.

The thought is, "This is simply

a product that I'm investing in."

LAWYER

[Fernanda Alves] I begged Our Lady

of Aparecida to soothe my heart,

to look after him for me,

to watch over him and keep him safe.

I prayed that if something were to happen

while he was asleep

WENDEL ALVES' MOM

she would wake him up and

[poignant music continues]

I believe she did wake him up.

I feel it in my heart that it was her,

because in that moment,

late at night, in a deep sleep,

the athletes wouldn't wake up easily.

Not only did he wake up,

but he went back inside

and rescued two of his friends.

Holy sh*t Mom!

Hey.

-Damn! Hi, Mom. Everything okay?

-Hello, son.

-[Wendel] You okay?

-Yes, and you?

-I'm all right. Damn!

-[Fernanda laughs]

[in Portuguese] When we got out,

we looked back, and it exploded.

That's when the security guard

told us to get the fire extinguishers.

We went to the back and banged

on the windows. I even broke one.

Then we started shouting,

"Fire. Wake up!" It was crazy.

I guess they could have fainted.

[Wendel, in English] The day

of the tragedy, it was a long day,

so I got to go home the next day.

Everyone was waiting for me at the gate.

My whole family. My parents,

my brother, friends, and my uncles.

I went to Internacional in November.

They welcomed me from day one.

Everyone knew me already.

They made me feel right at home.

They treat me well,

and they're very kind to me.

JD. MIRIAM PORTUGUESE SPORTS ASSOCIATION

[Fernanda] From soccer school up to today,

it's been a great achievement for him.

Because to see him recover

from that terrible experience

and then move on to a great club

and become a professional player

I don't have the words to explain.

I'm just so delighted.

[man 8, in Portuguese] Here he goes!

Inter three to one!

Wendel goes for the goal!

[crowd cheering and whistling]

-[in English] Your Virgin.

-Oh, this!

When I travel for a match, I always put

her in my locker, sitting on the shelf.

I take her with me everywhere.

[Filipe] I came to Guarani

on loan from Flamengo.

As soon as my contract

with Flamengo ended, Guarani signed me.

I've been here for a year.

I'm now in the club's professional squad,

and I'm very happy here at Guarani.

[man 9, in Portuguese] Filipão!

Goal!

[in English] After the tragedy,

I developed terrible insomnia.

I would sometimes be awake

for 24 hours a day.

I tried taking sleeping pills,

but I still couldn't sleep,

because at night I was so afraid.

When we got back to the Nest,

I hallucinated all the time.

STRIKER

I would walk through that place

and relive everything

that happened that night.

That was a very,

very difficult time for me.

[tense music playing]

I still have nightmares

about what happened.

It makes it difficult to sleep.

If I'm in a room with air conditioning,

I see the unit catching fire.

Flames everywhere.

I can feel the heat in the room.

And sometimes, I hear screams in my head

like the ones I heard that night.

-It feels so real.

-[echoing screaming]

I get flashes of light in my eyes,

and sometimes, I see crazy things.

Then, all I can do to calm down is

talk to myself and pray to God.

-[panicked shouting]

-[banging on window]

[loud thump]

[Wendel] When we take a break

to get something to eat,

we heat up our food on these hot plates.

Every time I walk past the food cooking,

I can smell

That smell, it takes me back to

to that day in the dormitory.

Sometimes, all those memories

they rush back.

I'm flooded with them.

SECURITY

And that makes me incredibly sad.

I get a

I get a bad feeling.

And then I don't want to talk to anyone.

I don't go out.

All I want to do

is just lie down in my room,

and I ask my wife to shut the door.

I was out on leave for a while.

First, I met with a counselor,

and then I saw a psychiatrist.

It was the psychiatrist

who said that I should be put on leave.

[dog barking]

When I went back to work,

they assigned me to the basement

and told me to stay there.

Then, they called me in one day,

and a person from Human Resources

gave me a piece of paper

and said, "Your services are

no longer necessary to Flamengo."

[Wendel] It was January of 2020.

I was traveling with my mother,

and the phone rang.

I answered it. They said

STRIKER

"Good afternoon.

I know you're with your mother."

"This is hard to say, but you won't

be playing for Flamengo anymore."

I hung up, and I just

I still don't know the reason why.

[poignant music plays]

[Darlei Pisetta]

Now we're headed over to the field,

the place where Bernardo used to train.

ARTHUR LIVES!!!

[man 10, in Portuguese]

Good one! Let's go again. Whoa!

[Darlei, in English] I can almost see him

going for the ball.

It all comes back, you know?

[Marília Barros] This is the court

where he really started playing.

[boys shouting]

[Marília] I would sit over there

and bring him water.

This place has so much history.

[Andréia] Everywhere I look,

I see my son, you know?

I see him here, I see him over there,

and I see him in front of the goal.

[Cristiano] It hurts to come here,

where it all started.

But I have nothing but good memories.

Just good memories.

[suspenseful music plays]

[woman 5, in Portuguese]

The Vulture's Nest tragedy,

which k*lled ten boys

from Flamengo's youth league,

was two years ago today.

[woman 6] Not all the families

that lost their children in the fire

have managed to settle with Flamengo.

[in English] Compensation is typically

calculated based on the victim's earnings.

You take how much the victim made,

multiply it by their life expectancy,

and add an amount for damages

if the victim died.

That's the simplest way to do it.

The issue is emotional harm.

Pain inflicted on the soul.

That is the crucial element.

There are several factors to consider.

First of all, the economic status

of the person who caused the damage,

plus how serious the damage was.

And finally, the so-called

pedagogical-punitive criterion,

meaning, to set an example for society

and say, "Don't do that.

It will cost you."

[Guedes] At first, Flamengo's fans

sympathized with the families

and were on their side.

But after a little time went by,

the club's public communications implied

that if they spent a lot of money

compensating the families,

they would no longer be able to afford

to continue investing in the players.

FLAMENGO "BREAKS THE BANK"

[woman 7, in Portuguese] Gabigol,

Arrascaeta, Bruno Henrique,

and many other stars.

Flamengo spent millions

to create a dream team in 2019.

FLAMENGO HAS ALREADY SPEN

R$ 190.8 MILLION ON REINFORCEMENTS

[Ivo, in English] 2019 was historic

long before the late-season victories.

FLAMENGO SPENT MORE THAN

R$ 250 MILLION IN PAST FOUR YEARS

That year signaled the financial power

of the new Flamengo.

FLA MOVES R$ 468 MILLION

BETWEEN PLAYER PURCHASES AND SALES IN 2019

They opened up their pockets, spending

freely to sign players to huge contracts.

FLAMENGO MAY END 2019 AS THE FIRS

BRAZILIAN TEAM TO RAISE R$ 1 BILLION

[Cezar] It was a contradiction.

They had money to sign players,

but in hardball negotiations,

they said they couldn't afford

to pay the families.

[Marília] I remember

a comment from one woman.

"They're trying

to make money off their children."

"Were those kids even real players?"

I even had someone at work ask me,

"Are you that dead kid's mother?" "Yes."

ARTHUR'S MOM

"Did you get a lot of money

from Flamengo?"

I still go through that.

[Tancredo] Flamengo naturally took

advantage of the families' vulnerability.

The families are fragile,

they are no longer united,

and so they end up making very bad deals.

For a family

to have to keep negotiating this,

it's like experiencing

the death of their child

over and over and over again.

At some point, the families say,

"Okay. Fine. Fine. That's enough."

Many were worn down by sheer exhaustion.

[poignant music playing]

[Darlei] It's one of the most beautiful

tributes that we've received.

It's from Fluminense.

As you know, I am a Fluminense fan,

and Lêda is a Flamengo fan.

BERNARDO PISETTA'S DAD

They wrote a very beautiful message to us.

I would like Lêda

to read it for us, please.

[Lêda] "Mr. Darlei and Mrs. Lêda,

the great Nelson Rodrigues once wrote

that the competition between our two teams

started 40 minutes

before the beginning of time."

"For Bernardo,

we can say that it started in the womb,

then with his own choice of team,

and with the healthy rivalry

he watched his parents enjoy."

BERNARDO PISETTA'S MOM

"Millions of Brazilian boys dream

of playing for their favorite club."

"Bernardo actually achieved that,

thanks to your encouragement and efforts,

with the purchase of each pair of shoes

and each pair of gloves."

"Your loss cannot be measured."

"But we hope that our club shield

with Bernardo's name on it

will have a special meaning

for the Pisetta family."

"We hope it symbolizes everything

you once dreamed of, Mr. Darlei."

"Our colors salute you.

Fluminense Soccer Club."

Beautiful.

We were very

We were very touched,

because they are a rival team. Right?

And

this is what we expected from Flamengo.

Not just us.

All ten families.

[poignant music resumes]

[dog barking]

#ARTHURLIVES

[Marília] I already lost

the most important thing.

How long should I drag this out?

Whatever amount I ask for,

ten years from now,

a judge will decide

it should be a different amount.

Am I supposed to suffer

for years and years

because our justice system is so slow?

GOD WORKS AT THE RIGHT TIME

Everyone resolves this

in whatever way they see fit.

CHRISTIAN ESMÉRIO'S MOM

But for me, settling with Flamengo

won't turn the page. I can't just move on.

-How are you doing?

-[Andréia] Hello. We're okay.

How are you?

At the last meeting we had

with their lawyers,

they made it very clear

that it was their final offer,

and they wouldn't negotiate any further.

I talked about it with Cristiano.

What I have seen them do since 2019 is

deflect the blame, look for a scapegoat,

and try to hold other parties responsible

for all the actions they are liable for.

They are the ones who hired the company

to put in shipping containers.

And that company did not indicate

that they were suitable accommodation

for children when they installed them.

They never said they could be used

as a dormitory for kids. Never.

Should the containers have been there?

No. End of story.

LAWYER

That is ill*gal. And if you do

something ill*gal, you are liable for it.

CHRISTIAN ESMÉRIO'S DAD

This is a lawsuit we believe

will be successful,

and this lawsuit centers

around the question of values.

There's not much else to debate.

Regarding his career, will they consider

how far Christian could have gone?

Will they consider the drafts?

My son was not just "promising."

He was not just another kid.

They said on TV that

none of the others would go pro.

We have a document from the CBF

saying how many times he was drafted.

[suspenseful music plays]

[woman 8, in Portuguese]

Four years after the fire

that k*lled ten young Flamengo players

at the Vulture's Nest,

no one has been convicted.

[man 11] Is it just money?

You pay the families and you're done?

Of course not. If children die

inside Flamengo, who is responsible?

[man 12] It was a tale of death foretold.

It was all completely predictable.

There's no doubt in my mind that what

happened that day was not an accident.

[man 13] It was indeed a terrible tragedy.

And, technically speaking, it is a crime.

[man 14] Flamengo is responsible

for the deaths of ten children.

[man 15] The families of the victims

get no answers.

Their children have died inside

a building owned by Flamengo,

in an ill*gal structure

that shouldn't even have been in use.

Justice has to provide an answer.

[Marília sobs] So special.

[man 15] Who is responsible?

[Marília] You're the love of my life.

[Andréia] This is not about making money.

This is not about compensation.

This is about justice.

"Hello, son. How is everything?"

"Are you taking good care

of your grandparents up there?"

"I'm sure your grandpa

never leaves your side."

"How's Grandma?

Is she being tough on you?"

[gentle music plays]

[Andréia] "My son, I think

I'm going crazy from all the pain."

"Sometimes I cry so much,

I think I will lose control."

"It's been so hard to hide my tears."

"Most of the time, I want to scream

and rip the pain right out of me."

"I don't know how to cope

without you here with me."

"I don't know how to be happy

without talking with you."

"I want you here, so we can do things,

like go to the movies together."

"I want you here,

asking me to buy you candy."

"I want you here,

sleeping with your legs on top of me."

"I want you here."

"I will meet up with you soon.

Love, Mom. Your queen."

I can't accept

that a defendant can sit before a judge

and be allowed to decide

how they will be punished.

That isn't right.

I think that the moment I accept whatever

it is they are willing to give me,

then I give them

the power to decide their own punishment.

[Izabel Raphael]

Those responsible for Flamengo,

they have chosen to hide

and to minimize everything that happened.

But the fans won't let them.

[emotional music plays]

We wrote a song

for the boys lost at the Nest,

and we sing it

in the tenth minute of every match.

FLAMENGO FAN

[Fábio] It's impossible to get

to the tenth minute of the match

and not get emotional,

remembering what happened.

[in Portuguese]

I wish you were all here ♪

Honoring Flamengo's flag

With pride and passion ♪

[Filipe, in English] I have

the infinity symbol tattooed on my finger.

I look at this image

and I remember them, honor them.

They are part of me forever.

I will always carry them with me

in my heart.

[Wendel] I'm not giving up. I'm gonna

leave all that behind me in the past.

But I won't forget

the friends that I lost.

I will play for them. I'll do it for them.

[Marília] What would he look like now?

I imagine he'd have a beard, a goatee.

He really liked that. [chuckles]

He would smell great.

He would turn heads, that's for sure.

BEST GOALIE - UNDER 13 (05/04)

[Darlei] The other day, I was clearing out

some stuff, and I found these cleats.

BERNARDO PISETTA ROAD

I guess it's

a present from him.

CHAMPION - LIBERTADORES

Often, I I come into his room

so I can smell his clothes.

I can still smell him.

The stench of his cleats

I remember he would climb into the car

and take them off.

They smelled terrible, because

because he would sweat!

That's a good smell now.

I miss that smell.

[Cristiano] Could I ever forget

my son's beautiful story?

I can't.

Is Flamengo bigger than my son?

No, it's not bigger than my son.

[crowd, in Portuguese]

This nation will never forget ♪

Flamengo is forever

Going to play for you ♪

[drumming and singing]

Ten stars are shining

In my Flamengo's sky ♪

Ten stars are shining

In my Flamengo's sky ♪

I wish you were all here

Honoring Flamengo's flag ♪

With pride and passion ♪

This nation will never forget ♪

Flamengo is forever

Going to play for you ♪

Sixteen athletes survived the fire

that took place on February 8, 2019.

In October 2023,

only three were still with Flamengo.

In November 2023, Filipe Chrysman

was let go from Guarani Football Club.

By the end of editing this series,

the criminal case was still ongoing.

Eight people face ten manslaughter

and three bodily harm charges.

By the end of editing,

Andréia Candido and Cristiano Esmério's

case was still open.

The other nine families reached

confidential agreements with Flamengo.

By the end of editing, Benedito Ferreira,

the security guard who saved three boys,

was still seeking compensation.

Efforts were made to hear

from other families, survivors,

representatives,

and others involved in this tragedy.

Some never responded,

and many refused to participate.

[somber music plays]

[music fades]