By The Straits Times | Created at 2025-03-15 09:02:35 | Updated at 2025-03-15 11:50:38
3 hours ago
BANGKOK - A bridge under construction in Bangkok collapsed in the early hours of March 15, with initial reports confirming seven fatalities and many people injured.
Authorities are searching for about 30 people 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 on 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.
The new bridge is part of the Rama III – Dao Khanong Expressway project.
Authorities are searching for missing and deceased individuals 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.
Authorities are searching for about 30 people believed to be trapped under the debris.PHOTO: THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department has brought specialised tools and search dogs to assist in the search and rescue.
As of the latest update, the confirmed death toll stands at seven, with 16 injuries and about 30 people still trapped under the debris.
A concrete beam structure for the new bridge collapsed onto the existing expressway bridge located about 200m from the toll booth, officials said.PHOTO: THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
An aerial view reveals widespread damage around the collapsed structure, completely severing the expressway, which is a key route to Bang Mod, Bang Khun Thian, and Chom Thong districts.
Chom Thong Burana Road, which connects to Rama II Road at the construction site, is also completely blocked in all lanes as emergency crews continue their search and rescue operations.
A news source reported that the collapsed structure is the same type as the elevated expressway that collapsed on Rama II Road in November 2024. It is a large steel framework designed to support concrete beams and form part of the bridge structure.
Investigations into the cause of the collapse are still ongoing. THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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