A meaningful portion of the Hongqi (Red Flag) highway bridge, stretching over 750 meters, experienced a partial collapse on one side of the river in barkam, Sichuan province, following a landslide.Authorities confirmed the incident occurred Tuesday afternoon local time. Fortunately, the bridge had already been closed to traffic due to prior concerns, meaning no injuries were reported.
Video footage circulating on Chinese social media and state television captured the dramatic moment as supports near the riverbank gave way, leading to the partial demolition of the structure. A significant cloud of dust billowed into the air following the collapse.
Cracks Signal Trouble
Investigations revealed that the mountainside adjacent to the bridge had shown signs of instability prior to the collapse. During an inspection conducted just the day before the incident, cracks were identified in the roadway. This finding prompted the immediate and indefinite closure of this section of Autobahn 317,with traffic being rerouted.
The Hongqi Bridge is situated in close proximity to the Shuangjiangkou Hydroelectric Power Station, which is currently under construction. This 172-meter-high structure spans the Dadu River. According to the construction company, the final section of the bridge was completed and connected in January of this year. State news agency Xinhua reported that further investigations into the cause of the bridge collapse are underway.
