(Live) Phong Chau Bridge collapses in Phu Tho, suspected people and vehicles fell into the river.

The Phong Chau Bridge now has only one span remaining – Photo: Social media

Speaking to Tuoi Tre Online , Nguyen Manh Hung, Vice Chairman of Tam Nong District, said that the Phong Chau bridge has a steel structure and two spans have already collapsed and been swept into the river.

According to Mr. Hung, it is possible that people and vehicles fell into the river when the bridge collapsed, so local authorities are focusing on urgent search and rescue operations.

Phong Chau Bridge collapsed – Photo: ANH TIEN

Mr. Tran Hoai Giang, Director of the Phu Tho Provincial Department of Transport, said he was on his way to the scene. He has already instructed the relevant authorities to organize traffic diversion to ensure the safety of the public.

According to Ngo Duc Sau, Vice Chairman of the Lam Thao District People's Committee, two of the collapsed bridge spans are located on the Tam Nong District side, while the remaining span is on the Lam Thao District side.

A large crowd of people gathered at the scene of the bridge collapse – Photo: VOV

Mr. Sau said that Phong Chau Bridge was built using old technology and is very old. Currently, the provincial and district police forces are checking cameras to determine exactly whether any people or vehicles fell into the river when the bridge collapsed. In addition, functional forces from the province and district are present to search and rescue. At the same time, they are regulating traffic flow, cordoning off the scene, and preventing people from being present in the bridge area.

Speaking to Tuổi trẻ newspaper, Colonel Nguyen Minh Tuan, director of the Phu Tho Provincial Police, said that according to initial assessments, this was a very serious incident on National Highway 32.

A section of the bridge collapsed and was swept away by the water – Photo: VOV

"However, due to the very strong current, the rescue forces have prepared all necessary equipment, supplies, and personnel to ensure the safety of the forces and to deploy immediately. We are currently calculating rescue plans. If the current becomes safe, we will deploy immediately," Mr. Tuan said.

A young man narrowly escaped injury but became trapped in the bridge pier – Photo: TUNG DINH

Mr. Tuan said that the camera footage is currently being reviewed and an announcement will be made once accurate results are available.

At 11:30 AM, the leaders of Tam Nong District People's Committee announced that the Provincial Military Command and the Provincial Police had mobilized motorboats and other vehicles to the area where the bridge collapsed to conduct a search.

According to Nguyen Manh Hung, vice chairman of Tam Nong district, it is still not possible to determine exactly how many vehicles and people fell into the river.

Leaders of the Phu Tho Provincial Police were present at the scene of the Phong Chau bridge collapse to direct rescue and relief efforts – Photo: GIANG LONG

Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Xuan Sang said he was on his way to the scene to coordinate with the Phu Tho Provincial Department of Transport to address the consequences.

According to Mr. Sang, the Ministry of Transport has not yet received an official report on the Phong Chau bridge collapse from the Phu Tho Department of Transport.

Speaking to Tuoi Tre Online , Mr. Thang (from Huong Non commune, Tam Nong district, Phu Tho province) said that immediately after hearing the news of the bridge collapse, he rushed to the scene to find out what was happening because he was worried that a relative of his might have fallen into the river.

"Luckily, my relatives are unharmed. Currently, many people are gathered at the bridgehead, anxiously waiting for news and fearing that some of their family members might have fallen into the river," said Mr. Thang.

Just two minutes after crossing the bridge, it collapsed.

Speaking to Tuoi Tre Online, Ms. Han Hoa (residing in Phu Tho) said that about two minutes after she and a friend on her motorbike crossed the Phong Chau bridge towards Tam Nong, the bridge collapsed.

“I’ve only crossed the Phong Chau bridge twice in the past year. This morning was the second time; I was with a friend getting a new SIM card. About two minutes after my car crossed the bridge to the Tam Nong side, I suddenly heard a loud noise. When I turned around, I saw the bridge had collapsed. It was so terrifying, and even now, when I think about it, I’m still trembling,” Ms. Hoa recalled.

The scene of the Phong Chau bridge collapse as seen from above – Photo: TRAN QUY

According to Ms. Hoa, at the time the bridge collapsed, she saw several motorbikes and cars fall into the river with a very strong current.

There are no cameras on the bridge.

Speaking to Tuoi Tre Online on the afternoon of September 9th, Colonel Nguyen Minh Tuan, Director of the Phu Tho Provincial Police, said that because there are no cameras on the bridge, the authorities are checking cameras at houses near the bridge.

“We are currently conducting further verification to determine this. We will provide an accurate update in an hour,” said Colonel Nguyen Minh Tuan.

Current situation at the site of the collapsed Phong Chau bridge – Photo: GIANG LONG

According to Mr. Tuan, rescue operations must be carried out on the basis of ensuring safety because, with the current flow rate, safety must be the top priority.

All relevant authorities are now ready at the bridge to participate in the rescue operation.

Received the first three victims.

On the morning of September 9th, representatives from the Tam Nong Medical Center announced that they had received the first three victims of the Phong Chau bridge collapse.

Doctors are currently performing scans and tests on the three patients; the extent and nature of their injuries have not yet been determined.

Representatives from the Tam Nong Medical Center said that the number of victims is expected to increase. Therefore, the center has prepared by moving patients from the intensive care unit to other rooms to receive emergency treatment.

In addition, the center dispatched two mobile emergency response teams and two ambulances to the scene, fully equipped with medicines, supplies, oxygen tanks, etc., to be ready to provide assistance and treatment.

Lam Thao Medical Center also deployed personnel and arrived at the scene to provide assistance.

The Phong Chau Bridge spans the Red River on National Highway 32C, connecting Lam Thao and Tam Nong districts in Phu Tho province. Currently, the bridge is managed and operated by the Department of Transportation.

The Phong Chau Bridge, inaugurated in 1995, consists of eight spans. These include four simple spans with prestressed reinforced concrete girders, three steel truss spans, and one simple span with conventional reinforced concrete girders.

After 17 years of operation, Phong Chau Bridge was repaired in 2013.

In August 2022, voters in Phu Tho province petitioned the Ministry of Transport to invest in upgrading or building a new bridge to replace Phong Chau Bridge. However, due to limited public investment funds, which are prioritized only for key and urgent projects, the Ministry of Transport reported to the Government that priority should be given to allocating investment capital for the completion of National Highway 32C section through Viet Tri city in the medium-term public investment plan for the period 2021-2025.

With the construction of the new Phong Chau bridge, the Ministry of Transport acknowledges the request of voters in Phu Tho province and will prioritize investment when resources are available.

The traffic diversion plan is as follows:

Vehicles traveling from Dong Quang Bridge, Trung Ha Bridge, and the districts of Thanh Thuy, Tam Nong, Thanh Son, and Tan Son to Lam Thao and Viet Tri should follow this route: National Highway 32 (Tam Nong) → Ho Chi Minh Highway → via Ngoc Thap Bridge or National Highway 2 → to Lam Thao and Viet Tri. Vehicles traveling from Lam Thao and Viet Tri to Tam Nong, Thanh Thuy, Thanh Son, Tan Son, Dong Quang Bridge, and Trung Ha Bridge should follow the reverse route.

Vehicles from Thanh Thuy, Tam Nong, Thanh Son, and Tan Son districts traveling to Lam Thao and Viet Tri follow this route: National Highway 32 (Tam Nong) → Trung Ha Bridge → Ba Vi District, Hanoi → Van Lang Bridge → Viet Tri and Lam Thao. Vehicles from Lam Thao and Viet Tri traveling to Tam Nong, Thanh Thuy, Thanh Son, and Tan Son follow the reverse route.

Vehicles from Thanh Thuy, Tam Nong, Thanh Son, and Tan Son districts traveling to Hanoi and Vinh Phuc should follow this route: National Highway 32 (Tam Nong) → Trung Ha Bridge or → Provincial Road 317G → Provincial Road 317E → Dong Quang Bridge → Ba Vi District, Hanoi → Vinh Thinh Bridge → Vinh Phuc. Vehicles from Hanoi and Vinh Phuc traveling to Thanh Thuy, Tam Nong, Tan Son, and Thanh Son districts should follow the reverse route.

Vehicles from Thanh Thuy, Tam Nong, Tan Son, and Thanh Son districts traveling to Vinh Phuc and Hanoi, and vice versa, can take the Noi Bai – Lao Cai Expressway or National Highway 2: National Highway 32 (Tam Nong) → Ho Chi Minh Highway → National Highway 2 → Vinh Phuc and Hanoi; or National Highway 32 (Tam Nong) → Ho Chi Minh Highway → IC9 Interchange → Noi Bai – Lao Cai Expressway → Vinh Phuc and Hanoi.

Scene of the Phong Chau bridge collapse – Photo: TUNG DINH

Authorities are present at the scene of the bridge collapse – Photo: TUNG DINH

A large number of people came to see the scene of the Phong Chau bridge collapse – Photo: TUNG DINH

Tuoi Tre Online will continue to update.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/sap-cau-phong-chau-tai-phu-tho-nghi-co-nguoi-va-xe-roi-xuong-song-20240909105723465.htm