Moment A Bridge Collapsed, Taking Petrol Tanker With It

While Nigerians were busy celebrating the countries 59th independence anniversary on Tuesday October 1st, a 140-meter cable bridge in northeast Taiwan collapsed, sending an oil tanker that was on it into the water and killing at least five people in fishing boats below.

The fully loaded petrol tanker, which came down with the structure, burst into flames after hitting the water, sending a thick plume of black smoke into the air.

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According to National Fire Emergency, at least 20 people, mostly fishermen from Indonesia and the Philippines, were injured.  Three fishing boats were also crushed in the shocking accident.

“The bridge collapsed at around 9:30 a.m. while an oil tanker vehicle was on it, setting the vehicle on fire. We feared that some fishermen might be trapped in the boats”

“Rescuers found the body of a foreign fisherman … while the search for one missing foreign fisherman continues”

Divers later joined hundreds of rescuers in the search effort. They used cranes and excavators to raise the wreckage of two fishing boats after the accident. The disaster was caught on tape by at least two surveillance cameras.

With a length of 140 meters (460 feet) and a height of 18 meters (nearly 60 feet), the collapsed structure was the only single-span arch bridge in Taiwan that is supported by cables and the second single arch-cable steel bridge in the world.

The 1360km Lekki-Ikoyi Link bridge in Lagos is also a cable-stayed bridge. It is the first of its kind in Nigeria.

Commercial vehicles, Including Okada, Keke Marwa, Danfo and vehicles with a total seating capacity exceeding 26, are restricted from using the bridge. Also restricted are heavy-duty trucks and articulated trucks.

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