Bridge Collapse in Qinghai Province Claims Lives, Rescue Efforts Underway

As of Friday at 6 pm, twelve fatalities have been confirmed, and four individuals remain missing following a steel cable failure at a bridge construction site in Qinghai province, Northwest China. The incident occurred earlier in the day.

The accident took place around 3 am at the under-construction bridge on the Qinghai section of the Sichuan-Qinghai Railway. Sixteen workers were present at the site when the failure caused a 108-meter steel girder arch rib to collapse.

The Ministry of Emergency Management immediately deployed a team to the site to manage rescue operations and coordinate rescue efforts. The primary focus is on searching for those who fell into the water. The ministry has also stated its commitment to determining the cause of the accident swiftly and implementing measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

More than 806 rescuers have been involved in search and rescue efforts since the accident. The operation has utilized 91 vehicles, 27 boats, one helicopter, and five robots. Additionally, six hospitals have established rapid channels to provide medical assistance to the victims.

At the time of reporting, rescue operations and efforts to support the affected families were ongoing.

The bridge, situated at the border between Jainca county in the Huangnan Tibetan autonomous prefecture and Hualong Hui autonomous county in Haidong, is the first steel truss arch railway bridge in China to span the Yellow River.

Previously, it was reported that the two cable towers on either side of the bridge were completed on June 14. The main bridge was originally scheduled to be joined by the end of this month. The maximum cable force on the side spans of the bridge reaches 1,161 metric tons, equivalent to the weight of 750 small cars. Each tower weighs 1,800 tons, with the largest segment weighing 45 tons. The installation precision of the towers is crucial for the safety and success of the subsequent steel support beam.

Public information indicates that the bridge, a key project on the Sichuan-Qinghai Railway, has a length exceeding 1,596 meters. The arch's apex is 130 meters above the water's surface, equivalent to the height of over 40 stories. The deck is 55 meters above the Yellow River's surface.