A main bridge in southern Taiwan collapsed yesterday, sending drivers and passengers fleeing their cars and racing to safety as chunks of concrete dropped into the water below, but officials confirmed that no one was killed.
Officials say 22 people were injured after the collapse of two sections of the Kaoping (
No cars were found in the river after four hours of searching with divers, boats and a helicopter, a fire official from Pingtung said.
Witnesses described a rumbling sound as the four-lane bridge broke and concrete fell into the river. Cars crashed against the railings and more than a dozen hung precariously onto the tilting span.
The injured were taken to four local hospitals while emergency workers continued to search for more victims. At least two of the injured suffered serious bone fractures.
The bridge, which is about 1km long, is the main thoroughfare into Kaohsiung from neighboring Pingtung County. It was built in 1978 and has been renovated several times.
About 100m of the bridge collapsed, and one end completely snapped off.
Rescuers have brought in boats and a helicopter to search the rushing river for anyone who may have fallen into the water.
Premier Tang Fei (
He also apologized to the victims and the rest of Taiwan for the incident.
The military has also sent 450 troops to the scene, including divers from the marine combat forces.
The cause of the accident is under investigation, and President Chen Shui-bian (
Illegal gravel quarrying upstream is also suspected to have contributed to the collapse. The bridge was weakened further by raging waters brought by Typhoon Bilis last week.
Given the length of the bridge, it would be difficult to build a temporary bridge nearby, according to officials from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications. The officials met yesterday to find ways to handle traffic before the bridge is repaired.
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