Chanthaburi: Work is underway to clear debris after a concrete overpass under construction collapsed across Highway 317, Chanthaburi-Sa Kaeo. This morning, traffic congestion has been caused, with estimated damages of at least 10 million baht. At approximately 10:20 PM, a construction site for a flyover over Highway 317, between the inbound side of Ban Mathai, Patthawi Subdistrict, and the central market of Makham Mueang Mai Subdistrict Municipality, was hit by CCTV footage from a grocery store. The moment the bridge beam collapsed, dozens of workers were still walking nearby. Fortunately, no one was injured.
According to Thai News Agency, a preliminary inspection of the damage at the scene revealed that one trailer truck and a crane belonging to a private contractor were crushed by the bridge beams, which weighed over 116 tons of concrete. The collapsed beams, blocking both inbound and outbound traffic, were crushed and damaged. The Department of Highways, the responsible agency, has coordinated with relevant agencies and contractors to expedite the process of using concrete separators to cut the bridge beams, facilitating road clearance. The estimated cost of the damage is at least 10 million baht.
Officials from the Department of Highways reported that the overpass consists of two reinforced concrete pillars, a 2.4-meter walkway, handrails, and a roof spanning the entire 36-meter walkway. Prior to the incident, two cranes arrived on site to lift two reinforced concrete slabs, each weighing approximately 58 tons, onto the pillars in a T-shape. At 10:20 PM, as workers were clearing equipment and preparing to move the crane out, the bridge beam collapsed, forcing workers to escape. Fortunately, no injuries occurred. The cause of the accident is under investigation.
A crane operator recounted his survival, stating that during the incident, he was on the back of a trailer truck. He then heard a loud noise before a concrete beam collapsed, crushing the crane less than 10 meters from his location. He sustained minor injuries.
This morning, reporters observed that debris from the overpass had not been removed due to overnight rain, delaying the work. Meanwhile, traffic on Highway 317 was congested, prompting agencies to construct a diversion route.
Regarding the overpass salvage operation, the contractor coordinated three backhoes with drilling heads to drill through the concrete beams. A large crane from Trat Province was also deployed to remove the debris. Caution was exercised due to oil leakage from a cracked fuel tank. The exact cause of the collapse remains under investigation by engineers, with uncertainty over whether it was due to structural design issues or assembly errors.