What was meant to be a peaceful day of tennis turned into absolute chaos at Arena Beach Ribeirão in São Paulo. Powerful gusts of wind, reaching nearly 40 mph, battered the venue and caused the main grandstand to collapse onto the crowd. To make matters worse, the roof was made of metal. Amid the sudden storm, nine spectators were injured as others scrambled to safety in panic.

Social media quickly flooded with footage of the storm tearing through the arena. The visuals showed terrified fans fleeing the collapsing stands. According to local Civil Defense officials, one victim sustained a serious head injury and required surgery, while another woman underwent procedures for thigh and shoulder blade injuries.

Witnesses described a scene that shifted from chaos to relief once firefighters and emergency crews arrived and took control, leading spectators out in an orderly manner. Their swift response was widely credited with preventing a far greater tragedy.

Emergency services promptly evacuated the area and transported the injured to Unimed Hospital Ribeirão Preto for treatment. The rescue teams reportedly traveled four hours north from São Paulo to reach the site. Thankfully, the situation was soon brought under control. As of now, seven of the nine injured fans have been discharged from the hospital.

However, as videos of the collapse continued to circulate online, questions began to arise about structural safety and storm preparedness at outdoor sporting events. To tackle these questions, the Sand Series Ribeirao Preto released a statement on Instagram. Let’s see what the officials had to say.

Sand Series’ Ribeirao Preto addresses the problem through a social media statement

Responding to these concerns, the Sand Series Ribeirão Preto organizers issued a statement on Instagram addressing the severe winds on October 18, 2025. They noted that the fire department evacuated the audience “without any chaos or accident.” Regarding the nine injured spectators, the organization added that it was “personally accompanying the assistance being provided at the hospital.” According to the statement, all patients had been discharged except one, who remained under observation.

The statement continued, “Soon, the Sand Series Ribeirão Preto organisation will release new information about the location for retrieving lost belongings and the continuation of the competition. The Sand Series Ribeirão Preto wishes a swift recovery to the injured and is offering its full support to the fans who were present at the venue.”

Despite the incident, organizers have pledged to continue the tournament under enhanced safety measures. The semifinals and finals are scheduled to be held behind closed doors, with refunds offered to weekend ticket holders. Meanwhile, engineers and city officials are conducting detailed structural assessments to determine the exact cause of the collapse and whether earlier weather warnings should have prompted a suspension of play.

The Sand Series team emphasized its commitment to transparency and safety, promising to provide further updates as investigations move forward.

But what do you think caused the mayhem at the Sand Series Ribeirão Preto? Could officials have done more to prevent such an incident? Share your thoughts in the comments below.