Bridge under construction in China collapses into Yellow River, leaving at least 12 dead
At least 12 people were killed and four others remain missing after a section of a bridge under construction collapsed Friday in northwest China, according to state media. Video released by state broadcaster CCTV captured the dramatic moment when the center of the bridge’s arch suddenly gave way, plunging into the Yellow River below. State news agency Xinhua attributed the collapse to a failure of a steel cable, though an investigation is still underway. The People's Daily reported that 15 workers and a project manager were at the site at the time of the disaster. Initial casualty reports varied before state television confirmed the death toll had doubled.
Authorities mounted a massive rescue effort, deploying 91 vehicles, including 27 boats, a helicopter, and five robotic devices, supported by more than 800 personnel. Six hospitals were placed on standby to treat victims. The bridge, part of the Sichuan-Qinghai Railway project, is described as the world’s largest-span double-track continuous steel truss arch bridge and the first of its kind to cross the Yellow River, China’s second-longest river. Images from state media show the incomplete structure with its center missing, flanked by scaffolding towers and cranes. Industrial accidents remain common in China due to weak enforcement of safety regulations; in December, 13 people disappeared after a cave-in at another major railway project in Shenzhen, with no survivors reported.
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