Horror on Rama II: Bridge collapse kills five, injures 20
The death toll from a devastating bridge collapse on Rama II Road has climbed to five, with 20 others injured as emergency crews race to find more victims. The tragic incident, which unfolded in the early hours of today, March 15, has thrown Bangkok’s infrastructure safety into question.
A loud bang shattered the silence at around 2am, sending a massive section of an under-construction bridge crashing down near Rama II Soi 25 in Bangkok’s Chom Thong district. Police Lieutenant Colonel Suwichak Noi Si of Bang Mod Police Station was alerted, and emergency teams from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, forensic experts, hospital pathologists, and Poh Teck Tung Foundation volunteers were quickly dispatched.
Two additional bodies were discovered buried under tonnes of rubble, adding to the grim toll. The collapsed structure was part of the ongoing Rama III-Dao Khanong expressway project, where more than 30 workers were on-site, pouring concrete onto bridge beams when disaster struck.
Among the injured victims, 12 men and four women were rushed to hospital. Reports say several workers were left stranded on towering bridge pillars, desperately awaiting rescue. Emergency teams, using search dogs, managed to locate four trapped survivors—two men and two women—pulling them to safety amid the wreckage.
A cement truck driver, who was at the scene during the catastrophe, described hearing a deafening noise just moments before the bridge gave way, leaving a trail of twisted steel and shattered concrete in its wake.
The collapse severed a major expressway connection, causing chaos in the Bang Mod, Bang Khun Thian, and Chom Thong districts. Officials have urged motorists to avoid the area, warning of severe traffic disruptions.
In response, the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) has announced the temporary closure of the Chalerm Mahanakorn Expressway near Rama II. Alternative routes have been advised, with drivers heading into Bangkok urged to take Suksawat Road towards Bang Pak Khao intersection to access the Suksawat toll plaza. Meanwhile, those travelling towards Samut Sakhon via the Rama IX Bridge are advised to exit through Suksawat Road before rejoining Rama II Road, reported KhaoSod.
Officials are investigating the cause of the collapse, with urgent questions being raised over construction safety standards on Bangkok’s major infrastructure projects.
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