The bridge, which spanned the Canal du Centre, was located on the E42 highway. It had been in the process of demolition since the end of February. The collapse followed a «catastrophic sequence, almost unbelievable,» according to Benoît Filippi, the officer who arrived on the scene. 😱🚨
Cranes Topple Over
The central part of the bridge fell into the water, pulling the cranes along with it. The man who died was actually operating one of these construction cranes at the time of the incident. The other three workers were also on the bridge. «The outcome could have been much worse,» said the mayor. 😔⚠️
How Are the Injured? (5/10)
At the time of the accident, there were twelve people working on the bridge. Thankfully, the vital signs of the injured were stable. «The news last night wasn’t concerning. They are still under medical observation, but their condition isn’t life-threatening,» said the mayor. 🙏💉
A Well-Planned Rescue Effort (6/10)
Emergency responders arrived quickly at the scene and faced a challenging task in rescuing the workers. “The biggest risk for our teams was a secondary collapse of the structure,” explained a police captain coordinating the efforts. 🚑💪
A Dilapidated Bridge (7/10)
The bridge, which overlooked the Canal du Centre, was built in the 1960s. «It showed signs of wear, so we decided to demolish it and rebuild it from scratch. The project started in February 2024 and was due to be completed by February 2026,» explained Luc Gosselin, director of Sofico. 🏚️🛠️
The Shock of Local Residents (8/10)
After the accident, the locals began to voice their concerns. «It was a bridge we used often, and now we wonder if it could have happened earlier, when we were driving over it in our vehicles,» said one passerby. 🤔🚗
The Consequences for Motorists (9/10)
In order to allow investigators to assess the scene, the E42 highway was closed for several hours. It is now open again for traffic, although the accident site itself remains off-limits to the public. 🚧🛑
The Sadness After the Shock (10/10)
After the announcement of the worker’s death, the community was left in a state of shock. «When you’re on the job, you never know what might happen. But it’s truly heartbreaking,» said one witness interviewed by RTL Info. 😔💔
