2021 University of El Alto Railings Collapse

2021 University of El Alto Railings Collapse
Date2 March, 2021
Location
TypeProtest
CauseRailings collapsed due to excessive weight
ParticipantsAround 40 students
Deaths7
Injuries4

On March 2, 2021, 11 students fell when the fourth-floor railings gave way under the weight of people during a crowd surge at a protest at the Public University of El Alto. Two people, a man and a woman survived by falling directly from the balcony below, while nine people fell four stories down, with seven dying and two surviving.[1]

Event

Students apart of the Business Administration program had gathered at UPEA to participate in an student protest called by the Public University's Area of Economic, Financial, and Administrative Sciences—at 8:00 a.m.[2] (Bolivia Timezone: UTC-04:00).[3] The protest was lead by student Wilson Quispe Chura. Head Secretary of the department, Juan Jhamil Condori Limachi, was in the room.[4]

Before the tragedy, some organizers were giving speeches outside before the crowd went into the building.[5] Video from somebody inside the large crowd shows how many people were debating and pushing each other.[6] In the middle, both men and women were pushing and pulling each others hairs, even throwing items,[7] while next to the balcony, a group of women were in a small fight minutes before the railings gave way, including a woman in a red puffer jacket.[8] The women in the cat fight were pushed into the railings, with other people watching pushing forward.[9] Seconds before the collapse happened, another woman wearing a light blue shirt moved past people to try and fight the woman in red.[10][11]

Around 40 people were close together as people were trying to get into and out of the assembly room where the protest was happening.[3]

There was little room for those in the area. A few minutes before the tragedy, a person in a green hoodie was seen sitting on the balcony as there was little room to stand.[12] A second before the railings break, a woman with blonde highlights sat on a pair of railings that didn't break.[13]

Multiple people were recording this altercation, including student Carlos Catacora.[14] CCTV also was recorded during this.[15][16]

Throughout this, a few people on the ledge showed concerns over the crowd, looking down and trying to move away. A woman in a blue shirt and white pants moves into the crowd to move away from the railings, while another woman (Carla Quispe Valdez) moves to that spot to get away afrom the crowd. Another woman in a blue jacket and matching pants is shown panicking during this.[17]

After the two women stop pushing each other, three pairs of railings gave way. Given how majority of the people were pushing left or right of the railings instead of forward into the railings, this decreased the number of people who fell. 13 people originally fell off of the ledge. One woman wearing a grey hoodie and black puffer jacket managed to hang onto the light blue shirt girl, as she was in between her and the red puffer jacket girl. She was pulled to safety by a woman in a black puffer jacket, and black and light pink pants who was next to the blue jacket girl.[18]

The woman in gray, along with another woman in a dark blue jacket and with long hair next to her (same woman with the matching pants who was panicking before), managed to not fall due to this. The light blue shirt woman's right foot got caught on a piece of one of the railings stuck, resulting in her not falling and being pulled to safety by four people who hold onto her foot after seeing it was stuck and pull her back to the surface.[19] Some media identified the woman as simply "Wara", who was questioned by police but wasn't charged with anything.[8]

On the other side, a woman in a BTS beanie and a long black puffer jacket was pushed into the broken railings last second, but manage to push herself backwards, resulting in her not falling off the balcony.[20][21] She was next to two woman in pink puffer jackets, including Quispe Valdez, the woman who landed on the 3rd floor balcony. She is seen looking down on another railing as people help the woman in light blue.[22]

Two men (one in a dark blue hoodie and another with black track pants with white lines)[23] were in between Quispe Valdez and the other woman, but both men pushed into the crowd seconds before, resulting in both surviving.[24]

Two people, Lino Iván Paredes Chambi and Carla Quispe Valdez (also known as Carla Coaquira, Carla Rosalia Coaquira Quispe on victim Tania Choque Roque's Youtube channel on a project about Jean-Jacques Rousseau)[25] fell to the balcony below. Coaquira landed on her stomach on the lower balcony and was unconcious, fracturing her left elbow, while Paredes Chambi was originally pulled down, but managed to pull on a man's backpack who was in front of him and swing to the lower balcony with a mild traumatic brain injury. They were treated by Ronald Gandarillas.[26][8]

Two other people, Danny César Jaño Rodrigo and Marisol Verástegui fell all four stories down along with seven other people. They were the only two survivors.

Paramedics arrived shortly after, treating most of the victims at the scene,[27] while taking Quispe Valdez to the hospital (which was recorded by media). A woman in white was seen helping one of the injured men.[28]

Victims

Bolivia's Minister of Government, Eduardo del Castillo, stated that, up to that point, five people had died and three others were seriously injured and in intensive care.[29]

So far, we have reports of 8 people dead and 3 people in intensive care following the incident at the #UPEA facilities. I have just instructed Police Commander Jhonny Aguilera to go to the scene to prepare a full report of what happened. del Castillo, March 2nd, 2021.[29]

That evening, the government reported that the death toll had risen to seven.[1]

The next day on March 3rd, one of the injured survivors, Limber Lucana Arcaya, died from his injuries.[8][30]

One of the survivors, Danny César Jaño Rodrigo was originally thought to be presumed dead and was named by media as "Daniel Junio “Dany” Rodriguez",[31] but Jaño Rodrigo survived,[32] and was released from a hospital on March 19th, bringing the death toll back to seven.[33] A few media sources listed both Jaño Rodrigo and "Rodriguez" as two different men, with not given "Rodriguez" an age.[34]

The last survivor to be release from a hospital was Marisol Verástegui, who was discharged on March 29th.[35]

Deaths

The six victims were the following:

  • Raúl Cadena Choque
  • Anahí Chipana Lazo
  • Tania Choque Roque of Guaqui[36]
  • Gemio Estuder Mamani Justo
  • Saúl Yerco Mamani Soria
  • and Loyda “Leyla” Suazo Machaca of Sorata.[37][38]

Cadena Choque, Chipana Lazo, and Mamani Justo died instantly while Coque Roque, Mamani Soria, and Suazo Machaca died later in hospitals on March 2nd. On March 3rd, Lucana Arcaya died from his injuries.[39][40]

Injured

The original five injured were:

  • Limber Lucana Arcaya of Tahuantinsuyo (died on March 3rd)
  • Lino Iván Paredes Chambi
  • Carla Quispe Valdez
  • Danny César Jaño Rodrigo
  • and Ascencia Marisol Verástegui.[41]

Investigation

Authorities opened an investigation right after. The commander of the Bolivian Police, Jhonny Aguilera, explained in a statement that initial technical reviews point to faulty welding of the railing, thus reducing its load-bearing capacity. Authorities pursued four lines of inquiry: first, the motivation behind the student gathering in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and why it was decided to hold the event in a fourth-floor hall; the reason for the abrupt dispersal of the event; and finally, the cause of the scuffle within the crowd that resulted in the railing breaking[42][43]

The Bolivian Public Prosecutor's Office ordered the arrest of seven people involved in organizing the protests; these were seven of the eight student leaders. The prosecutor's office also announced that the university rector would have to give a statement.[44]

In the case of the investigation of the leaders, the students stated that four hooded men led by Wilson Quispe Chura—one of the identified leaders—urged them to go up to the fourth floor of the UPEA building, where they again incited the students to provoke a fight with pushing and shoving.[44]

The Public Prosecutor's Office also identified that the railings were poorly welded and filled with putty, making them very weak.[44]

Leaders arrested

Between March 2 and 3, the Bolivian police managed to apprehend 9 people, most of them university student leaders who held high positions before the accident and who were identified by the police as the main suspects and immediate culprits of the tragic accident Seven people were on one side while two people were on the other side.[45]

  • Wilson Quispe Chura (Executive of the Area of Economic, Financial and Administrative Sciences ). Accused of having signed the call for the assembly.
  • Fanny Marisol Vargas Calle (executive of the International Business program ). Accused of having signed the call for the student assembly.
  • Nayeli Choque Tito (interim executive of the Public Accounting program ). Accused of having signed the call for the student assembly.
  • Pablo Carvajal Pillco (interim secretary of the Business Administration program ). Accused of having signed the call for the student assembly.
  • Vladimir Poma Ali (Secretary Counselor of the Honorable University Council). Accused of having signed the call for the student assembly.
  • Javier Yapu Chipana (interim executive of the Tourism and Hotel Management program )
  • Sergio Blanco Mollocheca (General Secretary of the Area of Economic Sciences )[46]

Condori Limachi and a woman named Rosa were also arrested.[47][48] One of the men apart of Condori Limachi's group, Jhasen, was expelled from the university in 2013 due to disrupting a session at the Honorable University Council. Another man, Brayan, was the boyfriend of the one the victims.[49]

Impact

Politics

The impact of the accident, along with a bus accident that occurred in the Cochabamba Department of Bolivia on the same day led some parties participating in the 2021 subnational elections to suspend their campaign closing events.[50]

Education

The legal department of the Public University of El Alto issued a statement expressing that it was "collaborating with the respective investigation" and "has instructed an internal investigation into this matter and will provide assistance regarding the health of the affected students and other aspects."[51]

An anonymous student from the Education program, speaking to Bolivisión, reported that the Local University Federation (FUL) forced them to attend the demonstrations: “They are a mafia [those] who forced us (...) All of them from the FUL, the representative, forced us to go and they forced him. My classmate Yerko Saúl is there, he’s dead; they forced us to go; he fell. If [you] see in the video, he’s the one in blue. Thanks to them, [he] is dead. They always forced us to go for political reasons.”[52]

Media

The incident was filmed from different angles, with news channels from all over the world including the United States,[53] United Kingdom,[54] South Africa,[55] Brazil,[56] Iran,[57] and India[58] reporting on it.

In India, some reports were saying the video happened in Guwahati, Assam[59] or at a COVID-19 Vaccination drive in Bandra, Mumbai.[60]

References

  1. 1 2 "¡Tragedia en Bolivia! Impactante video muestra cómo varios estudiantes caen al vacío". Andina. 2021-03-02. Archived from the original on 18 March 2024. Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  2. ↑ "Bolivia: Estudiantes universitarios mueren al caer de un cuarto piso". Yahoo Noticias (in Spanish). 2021-03-03. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
  3. 1 2 "El Alto – Bolivia: se rompió baranda. Más de 3 universitarios cayeron al vacío y fallecieron (VIDEO)". Onda Azul. 2021-03-02. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  4. ↑ Ochoa, Sebastian. "Tragedia de la UPEA en Bolivia: entre funerales y la identificación de los responsables". Sputnik Mundo. Retrieved 8 August 2026.
  5. ↑ Red Bolivisión (2021-03-03). La cronología previa a la tragedia. Retrieved 2026-07-29 – via YouTube.
  6. ↑ Bolivianos, Diez. "Bolivia:UPEA familiares piden justicia estudiantes denuncian cobros por faltar a reuniones". Youtube. Retrieved 8 August 2026.
  7. ↑ Mamani, Noelia. "Minutos antes del trágico accidente en la UPEA Universidad Pública de El Alto😓😰". Youtube. Retrieved 8 August 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 4 N+ UNIVISION (2021-03-14). Lo que revela una investigación tras la caída de varios estudiantes desde un quinto piso en Bolivia. Retrieved 2026-07-29 – via YouTube.
  9. ↑ "¡Caen al vacío! El recuento del accidente de Bolivia". Kienyke. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  10. ↑ "Video shows moment balcony collapses at Bolivia university, killing seven students". The Independent. 2021-03-04. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
  11. ↑ Hodge, Mark. "UNI TRAGEDY Girl seen 'pushing' before seven students plummet to their deaths after crush led to railing collapse at university". The U.S Sun. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  12. ↑ "Fallecidos y heridos tras la caída de una baranda en la UPEA". Unitel Bolivia. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  13. ↑ "Seven students killed as railing on fourth-floor balcony collapses at Bolivian university". Newsflare. Retrieved 8 August 2026.
  14. ↑ Symone, Annie. "Pagtitipon-tipon ng maraming estudyante na nauwi sa trahedya, ikinasawi ng 5". Kami Philippines. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
  15. ↑ "Dan de alta a dos estudiantes de la UPEA luego de la tragedia". Erbol. Retrieved 8 August 2026.
  16. ↑ "DETENIDOS UPEA!! Detalles de la audiencia por la Abogada de dirigentes que convocaron la asamblea". Videos Bolivia. Retrieved 8 August 2026.
  17. ↑ Telem News. "Al menos tres estudiantes murieron al ceder una baranda de Universidad Pública de El Alto en Bolivia". Youtube. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  18. ↑ Lapin, Tamar (March 3, 2021). "Video shows balcony railing collapse that killed 7 college students in Bolivia". New York Post. Retrieved July 29, 2026.
  19. ↑ Sharma, Shweta (March 4, 2021). "Video shows moment balcony railing collapses at Bolivia university, killing seven students".
  20. ↑ "Seven students killed as railing on fourth-floor balcony collapses at Bolivian university". Newsflare. Retrieved 8 August 2026.
  21. ↑ Universa, El. "Captan cómo universitarios de Bolivia caen de cuarto piso al romperse barandal durante asamblea". Youtube. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
  22. ↑ Catacora, Carlos. "Tragedia: baranda de edificio colapsa y estudiantes universitarios se precipitan al vacío". Telemundo New York. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
  23. ↑ "Seven students killed as railing on fourth-floor balcony collapses at Bolivian university". Newsflare. Retrieved 8 August 2026.
  24. ↑ "Siete estudiantes murieron cuando una baranda se desplomó en la Universidad de El Alto, en Bolivia". Youtube. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  25. ↑ Choque Roque, Tania. "Jean Jacques Rousseau: Entrevista!". Youtube. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
  26. ↑ "Dan de alta a dos estudiantes de la UPEA luego de la tragedia". Erbol. Retrieved 8 August 2026.
  27. ↑ Telemundo, Noticias. "Investigan fatal accidente en universidad boliviana - Noticias Telemundo". Youtube. Retrieved 8 August 2026.
  28. ↑ Me Pierda, Que No. "Tres estudiantes de la UPEA mueren tras caer del cuarto piso de la UPEA". Youtube. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
  29. 1 2 "Bolivia: Estudiantes caen de cuarto piso de universidad - VIDEO". Caretas. 2021-03-02. Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  30. ↑ Chuquimia, Marco Antonio. "Entierran los cuerpos de tres universitarios de la UPEA y una fallecida fue trasladada a Sorata". El Deber. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  31. ↑ Menendez, Elisa. "Seven students dead and five injured after university balcony railing collapses". Metro UK. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  32. ↑ Bolivianos, Diez. "Bolivia:UPEA familiares piden justicia estudiantes denuncian cobros por faltar a reuniones". Youtube. Retrieved 8 August 2026.
  33. ↑ "Danny, el sobreviviente a la tragedia en la UPEA: "Me dieron por muerto y pensé que así sería"". Urgente Bolivia. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  34. ↑ Tu Día, Al Día. "Tragedia enluta a la Ciudad de El Alto a días de su aniversario". Youtube. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
  35. ↑ ""Un milagro": Dan de alta a la última sobreviviente del accidente en la UPEA". Correo Del Sur. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  36. ↑ "Baterista, tenista y futbolistas, entre las víctimas de la tragedia de la UPEA". Opinion Bolivia. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
  37. ↑ "Baterista, tenista y futbolistas, entre las víctimas de la tragedia de la UPEA". Opinion Bolivia. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
  38. ↑ "Loyda Suazo, la sorateña jugadora de tenis y fútbol, víctima de la tragedia en la UPEA". Urgente Bolivia. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  39. ↑ "El Alto: Muere el séptimo estudiante de la UPEA". Urgente Bolivia. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  40. ↑ Chuquimia, Marco Antonio. "Entierran los cuerpos de tres universitarios de la UPEA y una fallecida fue trasladada a Sorata". El Deber. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  41. ↑ "Tragedy in Bolivia: seven university students die after four-storey plunge". The Rio Times. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  42. ↑ "Investigan el accidente mortal en universidad en Bolivia". CNN (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
  43. ↑ Tiempo, Casa Editorial El (2021-03-02). "¿Qué se sabe del accidente en el que murieron estudiantes en Bolivia?". El Tiempo (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
  44. 1 2 3 "Bolivia: detienen a siete personas por convocar la asamblea en la que murieron ocho alumnos al caer de un cuarto piso". Caretas. 2021-03-04. Archived from the original on 5 March 2021. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
  45. ↑ "Ellos son los 7 aprehendidos por el Caso UPEA: 5 convocaron a la Asamblea y 2 incitaron la violencia". urgente.bo. 2021-03-04. Archived from the original on 4 March 2021. Retrieved 2021-05-14.
  46. ↑ "¡Caen al vacío! El recuento del accidente de Bolivia". Kienyke. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  47. ↑ "Detención preventiva!! Para 7dirigentes universitarios por la tragedia en la UPEA". Youtube. Retrieved 8 August 2026.
  48. ↑ Martinez, Juan. "Bolivian court orders pre-trial detention of officials involved in tragedy that killed 7 students". The Rio Times. Retrieved 8 August 2026.
  49. ↑ "Policía revela la trama de poder y pugna de bandos que derivó en la tragedia de la UPEA". Erbol. Retrieved 8 August 2026.
  50. ↑ "Sucesos trágicos ensombrecen cierres de campaña en Bolivia". DW. 2021-03-03. Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  51. ↑ "El pronunciamiento de la UPEA tras el accidente fatal". Correo del Sur. 2021-03-02. Archived from the original on 2 March 2021. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
  52. ↑ "Estudiante de la UPEA: Nos obligaban a ir, gracias a ellos mi compañero está muerto". Erbol. 2021-03-02. Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
  53. ↑ Betz, Bradford. "Video shows college students falling to their deaths when metal rail gives way". FOX 13 Seattle. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  54. ↑ Diebelius, Georgia. "Seven students plunge to deaths from university balcony as railing collapses". Mirror UK.
  55. ↑ Andisile Mayalo, Michael. "Seven students plummet to death after railing gave way at Bolivia university". IOL. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  56. ↑ "Tragedy in Bolivia: seven university students die after four-storey plunge". The Rio Times. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  57. ↑ Haqshenas, Mohammad Ali. "VIDEO: Seven students killed in Bolivia after railing snaps". Mehr News. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  58. ↑ "Shocking! Students fall to death as metal railing gives way in a Bolivian university". Times Of India. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  59. ↑ Dwivedi, Jyoti. "Fact Check: Tragic video of students falling off after railing collapse is from Bolivia, not Assam". India Today. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  60. ↑ "FACT CHECK: Does Viral Video Show Railing Collapse at COVID-19 Vaccine Centre in Bandra, Mumbai?". Youtube. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
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