2024 Lixinsha Bridge collapse
 | |
| Date | 22 February 2024 |
|---|---|
| Location | Lixinsha Bridge, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China |
| Coordinates | 22°39′14″N 113°33′04″E / 22.654°N 113.551°E |
| Type | Bridge collapse |
| Deaths | 5 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 3 |
On 22 February 2024, a barge collided with the Lixinsha Bridge in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, causing a portion of the bridge to collapse. Two vehicles plunged into the river and three others fell onto the barge, leaving five dead and three others injured.[1]
Background
[edit]Guangzhou, on the delta of the Pearl River is one of China’s busiest seaports. The Lixinsha Bridge is located in the Nansha district was at the time the fastest growing port of southern China.[2][3]
Local authorities said that reinforcement work, including constructing "collision avoidance facilities" at four bridge piers, had been completed in 2022.[2]
Event
[edit]
At around 5:30 a.m. local time, a barge carrying only the operator first grazed the 18th bridge pier and then collided with the 19th bridge pier of the Lixinsha Bridge.[4] A section of the bridge fractured, causing a portion of the bridge to fall into the water. The ship was trapped below it.[3][5]
At least five vehicles fell into the water and onto the barge, leaving five people dead and three others wounded. The vehicles in the collapse included an electric motorbike and a public bus carrying only the driver.[5]
The people who died were the driver of the bus; the driver of the scooter and three people in the trucks that fell into the river.[2]
Rescue and recovery
[edit]China Rescue and Salvage Bureau of the Chinese Ministry of Transport dispatched its rescue team members and vehicles from its rescue base in Guangzhou to carry out search and rescue operation. From the Shenzhen rescue base, a high-speed rescue boat "Nanhai Rescue 321" and team members were also dispatched to aid the operation.[6]
By 4:10 p.m. local time, the two trucks that fell into water were recovered,[7][8] with the bodies of their drivers and passenger recovered separately later in the evening.[9]
The Guangzhou Maritime Safety Administration implemented a temporary water traffic control on the waters within 500 meters upstream and downstream of the bridge, prohibiting passage of all watercrafts but official and maintenance watercrafts.[10]
Aftermath
[edit]The captain of the ship was detained. People living in the vicinity were evacuated.[3]
An investigation started into the cause of the collapse. The ship company was cooperating in the investigation.[3]
Staff from the China Railway Construction Corporation conducted on-site inspection after the collision assessed that there would not be any risk of a second collapse of the bridge.[11] In an evening press conference of the same day of the collapse, the chief engineer of the Guangzhou Transportation Management Bureau reported that the 19th bridge pier had been seriously damaged and tilted, and the span beams between the 19th and 20th bridge piers had to be replaced as well. Based on the assessments of the bridge and its surroundings on-site, a repair and reinforcement plan would be formulated.[12] On February 25, the demolition work on the damaged span began,[13] and it was expected that the overall repair work to be completed in four to five months' time.[14]
After the collision, the water supply to the island was interrupted. As an interim measure, the local water utilities connected the island to a temporary water supply pipeline through the still under construction Nanzhong Expressway,[a] providing temporary relief to the villagers on the island,[15] with an expectation that the water supply would be fully restored several days later. Authorities also had dispatched water trucks to provide residents with portable water.[16] The Lixinsha Bridge also carries the island's communications fiber optic cables and electrical cables. In the collision, some of the fiber optics cables were damaged and cause the communications to be interrupted briefly for the day.[17] There was no interruption to the island's power supply as the electrical cables did not suffer any damages and there is already a second set of power cables installed in the Nanzhong Expressway installed six months ago.[18] To allow people and goods to enter and exit the island, the local government built a temporary dock by the following morning after the collision, and planned to build a temporary bridge as well.[19][14]
Repairs and reopening
[edit]On May 23, 2024，the repair works on the bridge was completed.[20] On June 12, the bridge was certified for use.[21] The bridge was reopened to traffic on June 22, 10 a.m.[22]
See also
[edit]
Notes
[edit]- ^ The Nanzhong Expressway cuts across the southern part of the Sanmin Island and has bridges to connect the island to other parts of the province. The entire expressway started construction in 2020, with an expected date of completion in 2024.
References
[edit]- ^ Lau, Chris; Zhou, Martha (2024-02-22). "Lixinsha Bridge, Guangzhou: Deadly boat crash snaps bridge in half in southern China". CNN. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
- ^ a b c "Container ship hits bridge in south China, killing 5 and knocking section of roadway into the water". AP News. 22 February 2024.
- ^ a b c d Ng, Kelly (22 February 2024). "China: Ship rams bridge, plunging cars into river in Guangzhou". BBC.
- ^ "广州沥心沙大桥事故：因涉事船员操作失当所致". 中国新闻网. 央视新闻客户端. 2024-02-22. Archived from the original on 2024-02-22. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
- ^ a b Lee, Liz; Orr, Bernard (22 February 2024). "Five killed after barge hits bridge near China's Guangzhou, plunging vehicles in water". Reuters.
- ^ "广州通报沥心沙大桥事故最新情况：2人死亡，1人受伤，3人失联". 青岛新闻网. 2024-02-22. Archived from the original on 2024-02-22. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
- ^ "广州沥心沙大桥事故中一辆落水轿车被吊起 内部无人". 央视新闻. 2024-02-22. Archived from the original on 2024-02-22. Retrieved 2024-02-22 – via 新快网.
- ^ 徐振天 (2024-02-22). "沥心沙大桥事故两台落水车辆均被打捞出水". 羊城晚报. Archived from the original on 2024-02-22. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
- ^ 吴媚苗, 赵晨 (2024-02-22). "广州沥心沙大桥事故3名失联人员已全部找到 均无生命体征". 央视新闻. Archived from the original on 2024-02-22. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
- ^ "广州南沙洪奇沥水道实施临时交通管制". 新京报. 2024-02-22. Archived from the original on 2024-02-22. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
- ^ 徐振天; 曾育文; 钟振彬 (2024-02-22). "沥心沙大桥暂无次生风险，或搭建便桥恢复通行". 金羊网. 羊城晚报. Archived from the original on 2024-02-22. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
- ^ 林钢威 (2024-02-22). "广州市交通运输局：将根据检测结果制定桥梁加固修复方案". 新快报. Archived from the original on 2024-02-22. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
- ^ "广州沥心沙大桥受损跨梁开拆". 联合早报. 2024-02-26. Archived from the original on 2024-02-26. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
- ^ a b 徐振天 (2024-02-24). "沥心沙大桥整体维修需四五个月 临时码头已连夜建好启用 部分家庭恢复水龙头用水". 羊城晚报. Archived from the original on 2024-02-24. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
- ^ 孔泽思 (2024-02-22). "广州沥心沙大桥事故后，三民岛停水 水务公司：已开辟临时输水通道". 每日经济新闻. Archived from the original on 2024-02-22. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
- ^ 吴陈幸子 (2024-02-22). "广州南沙三民岛居民：村里设多个供水点，在建临时码头运送农产品". 潇湘晨报. Archived from the original on 2024-02-22. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
- ^ 唐贵江 (2024-02-22). "沥心沙大桥被撞断 电信全力保障三民岛通信畅通". 中新网. Archived from the original on 2024-02-22. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
- ^ 李天研 (2024-02-22). "三民岛电力供应正常，去年投产的供电"双保险"实现"零停电"". 广州日报. Archived from the original on 2024-02-22. Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ 金喆 (2024-02-22). "广州沥心沙大桥断裂是否影响岛上居民生活？当地已启动用水、通讯、就医等保障措施". 每日经济新闻. Archived from the original on 2024-02-22. Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ 柳时强 (2024-05-23). "广州南沙沥心沙大桥架梁施工顺利完成". 南方日报. Archived from the original on 2024-05-25. Retrieved 2024-05-25.
- ^ 莫郅骅 (2024-06-20). "官宣！广州沥心沙大桥6月22日将恢复全面通行". 南方都市报. Archived from the original on 2024-06-21. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
- ^ 王彤 (2024-06-20). "沥心沙大桥恢复全面通行". 新快报. Archived from the original on 2024-06-20. Retrieved 2024-06-20.