7 dead after bridge under construction in Bangkok collapses

BANGKOK - A bridge under construction in Bangkok collapsed in the early hours of March 15, with at least five fatalities and many people injured.

The authorities are searching for about 30 people who are believed to be trapped under the debris of the Dao Khanong Expressway Bridge, which collapsed onto Rama II Road in the city’s Chom Thong district at 1.48am.

Police officers at Bang Mod Station were notified of the incident, which occurred near Soi 25 and the entrance to the Dao Khanong Expressway in Rama II Road in the Bang Mod subdistrict of Chom Thong.

Officials from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department and the Poh Teck Tung Foundation were already on the scene when the police arrived.

Officials said a concrete beam structure for the new bridge, which is under construction, collapsed onto the existing expressway bridge located about 200m from the toll booth.

Expressway Authority of Thailand governor Surachet Laophulsuk said on March 15 that initial investigations suggest that the cause of the collapse was an excessive amount of concrete poured on the beam connecting the Rama X Bridge to the Rama II off-ramp, causing the beam to crack and break under the weight.

The new bridge is part of the Rama III – Dao Khanong Expressway project.

The authorities are searching for missing people and bodies trapped under the collapsed structure. The operation is being carried out methodically and with caution, as there is a risk of further collapse due to unstable structures.

The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department has brought specialised tools and search dogs to assist in the search and rescue.