Concrete slab from old overpass kills driver in Bangkok
A concrete slab fell from an older overpass onto a pickup truck, injuring the driver yesterday on the outbound side of Rama 2 Road in Bangkok. The incident, not related to the new bridge construction, prompted immediate action to assist the injured party.
The accident occurred around 8am, yesterday, April 29, when concrete debris fell from an old overpass connecting Krathum Baen to Mahachai, resulting in fatal injuries to the driver, who was swiftly taken to a hospital. Thanasan Sitthapha, director of the Samut Sakhon Highway District, tasked his team to investigate the site of the incident.
Ekakorn Changsuwan, assistant project engineer for the Ekachai-Ban Phaeo project (section five), was dispatched to collaborate with police in examining both the damaged vehicle and the concrete slab as evidence for compensation claims. The vehicle was parked at Samut Sakhon City Police Station for further inspection.
Initial assessments suggest the debris originated from deteriorating concrete under the old overpass, potentially caused by corrosion or spalling. The highway district team is investigating other parts of the bridge for similar risks to ensure safety and prevent future incidents.
Thanasan confirmed that the overpass involved was the Mahachai-Krathum Baen bridge at kilometre marker 27+500. He stressed that the damage was from the old structure, not the new M 82 bridge under construction.
The 46 year old driver, Amnat, succumbed to his injuries at 9pm at Vibharam Hospital (Samut Sakhon). Thanasan plans to visit and personally apologise to the victim’s family.
Thanasan extended his apologies to all road users for this unforeseen incident, despite ongoing efforts to maintain bridge safety and assured that the incident stemmed from the old Mahachai bridge, not the new project, and pledged thorough inspections to identify any potential hazards. Immediate repairs will be prioritised to prevent similar occurrences, reported KhaoSod.
Compensation discussions with the injured party will proceed, using collected evidence to facilitate the process. The incident has prompted comprehensive inspections of bridges nationwide to ensure public safety.
Latest Thailand News
Follow The Thaiger on Google News:
