A Vale mining pit overflowed in the early hours of January 25, 2026, in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, flooding CSN facilities in Congonhas without any injuries reported. The spill of water and sediments halted operations and water supply in the area, raising alarms seven years after the Brumadinho disaster. Authorities and the company are investigating the causes, confirming that dams remain safe.
In the early hours of January 25, 2026, a flooded pit at the Fábrica mine in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, overflowed with water and sediments, affecting nearby areas between Ouro Preto and Congonhas. The flow caused a mud flood that inundated offices, workshops, and the stockroom of the Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN), located on lower terrain, resulting in about 1.5 meters of flooding. This prompted the preventive evacuation of around 200 workers and the suspension of operations, including water intake.
Vale issued a statement clarifying that the incident did not involve dikes or dams, which remain stable and monitored around the clock. "The flow reached some areas of a company in the region. People and the local community were not affected," the company said, prioritizing environmental protection and notifying competent authorities.
Congonhas Mayor Anderson Cabido (PSB) reported in a video that over 200,000 cubic meters of water escaped the area, carrying minerals and reaching the Goiabeiras stream, which supplies the Maranhão River. "There were significant environmental damages that need to be investigated and held accountable," he stated, emphasizing the direct impact on his municipality.
The Movimento dos Atingidos por Barragens (MAB) reported that the episode disrupted water supply and local operations, with members monitoring the situation alongside residents and officials. The Minas Gerais government deployed Civil Defense, Firefighters, Military Police, and the Environment Secretariat to assess damages.
The event marks seven years since the Brumadinho dam rupture on January 25, 2019, which killed 272 people and caused ongoing contamination in the Paraopeba River basin, affecting at least 2,400 hectares with tailings until 2022. Though without casualties, the overflow heightens concerns over mining structure safety in the region.
