Suspension bridge collapses, injuring 4

January 13, 2017 - 15:00

A senior official from Năm Căn District People’s Committee in the southern province of Cà Mau confirmed that a suspension bridge collapsed on Friday morning after a barge collided with a bridge abutment.

Photo shows the collapsed bridge in rural Việt Nam. — VNS Photo
Viet Nam News

CÀ MAU — A senior official from Năm Căn District People’s Committee in the southern province of Cà Mau confirmed that a suspension bridge collapsed on Friday morning after a barge collided with a bridge abutment.

Lê Thế Yên, chief of office said the incident occurred at 8am, injuring four passersby who fell into the river.

The victims included a grandmother and her two children, a 5–year-old and a 10-year-old, who were seriously wounded and treated at the province’s general hospital.

The last victim sustained minor injuries and was treated at the district’s hospital.

An initial investigation by local authorities has revealed that a barge carrying sand was parked about 300m upstream from the Cả Trăng suspension bridge, which spans the river in Hàng Vinh Commune. A cable anchoring the barge to the shore snapped, and the strong current caused the barge to drift into the bridge abutment.

Three men on the barge managed to escape without injuries.

Relevant offices and local authorities are jointly investigating the accident.—VNS

 

 

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