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CHINA-ACCIDENT
China road bridge collapses, traps cars underneath
BEIJING, Oct 10, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – A highway bridge collapsed in Jiangsu
province in eastern China on Thursday, state media said, trapping cars
underneath in the rubble.
The accident occurred around 6 pm local time (1000 GMT) in Wuxi city,
about 100 kilometres (60 miles) northwest of Shanghai, according to state
broadcaster CCTV.
State-run People’s Daily said in a tweet that rescue and investigation
work was under way, and local newspaper the Yangzi Evening News said at least
ten ambulances were seen racing to the scene.
Photos tweeted by People’s Daily showed at least two cars completely
crushed under a large section of the collapsed bridge, below a truck that had
been driving over the bridge.
Dramatic videos posted on social media showed the section of the bridge
swaying then crashing onto the road and vehicles underneath.
Other images showed crushed cars, with only their front sections or
headlights visible under a huge block of grey concrete.
One clip posted on China’s Twitter-like Weibo platform showed the moment
the bridge falls — narrowly avoiding a small three-wheel car, whose driver
was seen leaping out and running away.
CCTV posted on Twitter than no casualties had been reported yet, citing
local media. It said three cars were trapped under the bridge, including one
parked car.
Construction and road accidents are not uncommon in China.
In February 2018, at least eight people died in downtown Foshan, Guangdong
province, when a water leak inside a subway station construction site caused
a major road to cave in.
BSS/AFP/BZC/2000 HRS