RIO DE JANEIRO — The federal police have proposed criminal charges against the engineering company Vale and several employees in relation to a deadly dam collapse in January, according to a document seen by Reuters.

The police also urged charges against the auditor on the project, TÜV SÜD.

The police accused the companies of falsifying documents attesting to the stability of the dam in Brumadinho, in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais.

The dam collapse killed nearly 250 people, unleashing a torrent of mining waste on a nearby town and roiling global iron ore markets.

Vale said in a Friday securities filing that it was aware of the police investigation, but would not comment until it had more details. TÜV SÜD declined to comment.