Real Plaza Trujillo

Real Plaza Trujillo is a shopping center in Trujillo, in Peru’s La Libertad Region. It forms part of the Real Plaza chain, which is operated by Intercorp through its retail businesses. The complex is located southwest of Trujillo’s Historic Centre, at the intersection of César Vallejo West Avenue and Fátima Avenue, on a site of approximately 81,000 square metres. The center was developed as a large-scale commercial and leisure destination for Trujillo and the surrounding provinces. It was inaugurated in November 2007 and was described as the first complex of its type in the city. Construction generated more than 1,000 direct jobs and a comparable number of indirect jobs. After opening, the mall became one of the principal commercial hubs in northern Peru’s second-largest urban area, combining everyday retail with dining, entertainment, and services. Its tenant and visitor offer includes retail stores, restaurants, a cinema, a hypermarket, a food court, and recreational facilities. The food court was expanded or remodeled in 2016. The center’s catchment area extends beyond Trujillo itself, attracting shoppers from neighboring districts and provinces and serving as a regional destination for consumer goods, groceries, dining, and family entertainment. The mall faced public scrutiny before the 2025 disaster. In 2023, Trujillo mayor Arturo Fernández ordered the center closed, citing alleged structural deficiencies and arguing that demolition might be appropriate. The facility was reopened in January 2024 following political pressure and public debate. Management later stated that the property had undergone a September 2024 inspection that did not identify structural problems. On 21 February 2025, at approximately 20:40 local time, part of the mall’s roof collapsed, primarily affecting the food court and an adjacent children’s play area. The incident occurred while more than 300 people were reportedly inside. The supplied reference material reports at least eight confirmed deaths and 84 injuries, although early accounts cited differing casualty totals as rescue operations continued. Search-and-rescue teams worked through the night and into the following day, while families criticized delays in receiving information and the initial lack of specialized debris-removal equipment. The collapse prompted investigations into structural maintenance, drainage, roof loading, construction standards, and regulatory compliance. One line of inquiry focused on heavy rainfall and possible accumulation of water on the roof. Investigators and commentators also raised concerns about deteriorating beams, rusted structural elements, and whether management had adequately responded to warning signs. Real Plaza temporarily closed its shopping centers nationwide as a gesture of mourning and said it had complied with maintenance and inspection obligations. Authorities and consumer organizations called for accountability and sanctions. Indecopi subsequently imposed fines on Intercorp, including a fine of more than 500,000 soles in August 2025 and a further 8 million soles fine reported in January 2026 for alleged failures to comply with safety protocols and standards.

Real Plaza Trujillo was developed as a major organized-retail project for Trujillo, a large urban and commercial center in northern Peru. The mall occupies an approximately 81,000-square-metre site at the junction of César Vallejo West and Fátima avenues, southwest of the city’s Historic Centre. Its construction generated more than 1,000 direct jobs and a similar number of indirect jobs, underlining the project’s regional economic significance. The complex was inaugurated in November 2007 and became the first large shopping center of its kind in Trujillo. It was incorporated into the Real Plaza chain operated by Intercorp. Rather than functioning solely as a collection of shops, it was designed as a mixed retail, dining, grocery, cinema, and entertainment destination. Its location and scale enabled it to draw customers from throughout the metropolitan area and from neighboring provinces. During the following years, Real Plaza Trujillo expanded and remodeled parts of its premises. A significant update involved the food court, which was expanded or renovated in 2016. The center’s commercial mix included retail stores, restaurants, a cinema, a hypermarket, and family-oriented recreational facilities. These offerings positioned it as both a daily-needs shopping venue and a leisure destination. The property entered a period of controversy in 2023, when Trujillo mayor Arturo Fernández ordered its closure on the grounds that it presented structural deficiencies. Fernández publicly maintained that demolition might be the appropriate course. The closure became part of a broader local debate about the safety of large commercial buildings. The mall reopened in January 2024, reportedly amid pressure from other political actors. Real Plaza later stated that an inspection conducted in September 2024 had not found structural problems. On 21 February 2025, at about 20:40 Peru time, a section of the roof collapsed while more than 300 people were reportedly present. The collapse concentrated in the food court and children’s play area, where many families were gathered. The reference material reports at least eight confirmed fatalities and 84 injuries, although casualty figures varied during the early stages of the emergency response. Rescue workers searched the rubble through the night and into 22 February. Operations were complicated by the lack of immediately available specialized machinery, and relatives of missing people criticized the flow of official information. The disaster led to several lines of inquiry. Francisco Jaramillo of Ositrán suggested that water accumulation on the roof may have contributed to the failure after heavy rainfall in northern Peru. Other technical commentary alleged that the roof lacked an adequate drainage system and that accumulated water loads may have exceeded its design capacity. Independent media reports cited possible deterioration of support elements, including rust on beams and studs, and alleged that requests for further review had not been acted upon. Local officials disputed or qualified some of these claims and defended the quality or relative newness of the building’s materials. The collapse also renewed discussion of construction and safety enforcement in Peru, where industry representatives have warned that a large proportion of buildings are built informally and may have inadequate resistance to earthquakes or other stresses. Real Plaza management expressed condolences, temporarily closed its shopping centers across Peru, and maintained that maintenance and supervision requirements had been fulfilled. The Peruvian Association of Consumers and Users called for investigation of possible violations of consumer safety rights. President Dina Boluarte, national and local authorities, and other public bodies demanded investigations and punishment for any responsible parties. The regional government of La Libertad declared official mourning for 22 and 23 February 2025. Regulatory consequences continued after the collapse. Indecopi reportedly fined Intercorp more than 500,000 soles in August 2025 for alleged non-compliance with protocols and later imposed an 8 million-sol fine in January 2026 over alleged failures to meet established security standards. These actions made the Trujillo property a prominent case in Peru’s debate over commercial-building inspections, operator responsibility, emergency preparedness, and consumer protection.

• 2026

  Further safety-standard fine

  [1]Real Plaza Trujilloen.wikipedia.org

  A further Indecopi fine of 8 million soles was reported in January 2026 in relation to alleged security-standard violations.

• 2025

  Roof collapse and mass-casualty emergency

  [1]Real Plaza Trujilloen.wikipedia.org

  A roof section collapsed on 21 February, affecting the food court and children’s area and causing deaths and dozens of injuries.

• 2025

  First reported Indecopi fine

  [1]Real Plaza Trujilloen.wikipedia.org

  Indecopi reportedly fined Intercorp more than 500,000 soles over alleged non-compliance with post-collapse safety protocols.

• 2024

  Reopening after the 2023 closure

  [1]Real Plaza Trujilloen.wikipedia.org

  The shopping center reopened in January 2024 after political pressure and public debate concerning its safety.

• 2023

  Municipal closure order

  [1]Real Plaza Trujilloen.wikipedia.org

  Trujillo’s mayor ordered the mall closed over alleged structural deficiencies and publicly discussed demolition.

• 2016

  Food court expansion and remodeling

  [1]Real Plaza Trujilloen.wikipedia.org

  The mall’s food-court area underwent an expansion or remodeling project.

• 2007

  Real Plaza Trujillo opens

  [1]Real Plaza Trujilloen.wikipedia.org

  The shopping center was inaugurated in November 2007, becoming Trujillo’s first large complex of this type.

A regional, family-oriented shopping and entertainment destination serving Trujillo and neighboring provinces.

• Retail · 2007

  Retail stores

  The mall provides a multi-category retail environment for apparel, household goods, consumer products, and other merchandise. Individual tenant names and the full current store directory are not specified in the supplied material.

• Grocery and general merchandise · 2007

  Hypermarket

  A hypermarket forms part of the center’s everyday-shopping offer, combining grocery shopping with general merchandise and helping anchor the complex as a regional retail destination.

• Food and beverage · 2007

  Restaurants and food court

  Restaurants and a food-court area provide dining options for shoppers and families. The food court was among the mall areas expanded or remodeled in 2016 and was also the principal area affected by the 2025 roof collapse.

• Entertainment · 2007

  Cinema

  The complex includes a cinema, adding scheduled entertainment to its retail and dining mix and supporting its role as a leisure destination for Trujillo and nearby communities.

• Recreation · 2007

  Family entertainment areas

  Family-oriented recreational facilities, including a children’s play section, complement the center’s shops, restaurants, and cinema. The children’s area was within the zone affected by the 2025 structural failure.

• 2025

  Real Plaza Trujillo roof collapse

  A section of the mall roof collapsed over the food court and children’s recreation area on 21 February 2025. The incident caused multiple deaths and 84 reported injuries and prompted investigations into drainage, structural maintenance, safety compliance, and emergency response.

  Source

Read more

• 2025

  Nationwide temporary closure after the collapseStrategy

  Background

  Real Plaza faced a national mourning period and intense scrutiny after the fatal structural failure in Trujillo.

  Action taken

  Management temporarily closed all Real Plaza shopping centers nationwide as a gesture of mourning.

  Aftermath

  The closures were accompanied by investigations, public demands for accountability, and regulatory action against Intercorp.

  • Association of Shopping Centers and Entertainment of Peru — The association’s president announced that affiliated shopping centers would assume costs for victims.

  Source

• 2023

  Municipal closure over alleged structural deficienciesOther

  Background

  Trujillo mayor Arturo Fernández claimed that the property had structural deficiencies and publicly questioned whether it should remain in operation.

  Action taken

  The mayor ordered the shopping center closed and stated that demolition might be appropriate.

  Aftermath

  The mall reopened in January 2024 after political pressure and continuing public debate.

  Source

• 2016

  Food-court expansion and remodelingGeneration change

  Background

  The center updated its dining offer as part of its continuing development.

  Action taken

  The food-court area was expanded or remodeled.

  Aftermath

  The food court remained a major visitor area and was later affected by the 2025 roof collapse.

  Source

• 2023

  Trujillo mayor orders Real Plaza closure over alleged structural deficiencies[1]Real Plaza Trujilloen.wikipedia.org

  Regulation · Other

  Mayor Arturo Fernández ordered the shopping center closed and publicly questioned its structural condition, even suggesting that demolition could be appropriate. The mall later reopened in January 2024.

1. 1Real Plaza Trujilloen.wikipedia.org