River ruckus: Barge bash at Bang Pakong Bridge sends locals into a rescue race
A significant barge crash into the Bang Pakong River bridge sparked panic among locals, leading to a hasty rescue operation. The incident, which occurred at 8am today, threatened to damage 50 residential houses and restaurants, prompting a swift response from the Chachoengsao City Police.
The large barge, loaded with cement and stones, was suspected to have drifted from a construction site of the Bang Pakong River bypass bridge in Chachoengsao. The barge was heading towards Phanom Sarakham district.
The authorities coordinated with the Harbour Department and relevant agencies to start a recovery operation. At the time, a tourist boat from Aek Kenek Restaurant, which is adjacent to the Bang Pakong River, attempted to restrain the barge from crashing into the bridge piers, although the attempt was unsuccessful due to the heavy weight of the barge.
The barge, due to its significant weight and the strong river current, hit the bridge’s piers with considerable force before escaping the bridge’s span. It was then caught in a bend of the river current, heading towards more than 50 riverside homes and restaurants.
A 36 year old boat repairman at Aek Kenek Restaurant, Thospol, feared that if the barge continued to drift with the current, it could cause injury to residents from the impact, causing houses to collapse. He decided to use his boat to push the barge away from the river bend and towards the opposite shore, which was forested. His effort was successful.
Later, boats from the Harbour Department and a contracted tugboat arrived to retrieve the barge. They tried to pull the barge against the current back to its original location. More than three boats were deployed to stabilise the barge and prevent it from hitting the bridge piers again, reported KhaoSod.
Accidents near water bodies are common, with a recent incident resulting in the tragic loss of three lives. The fatalities occurred when a jet ski collided with their longtail boat in the Nong Ngu Hao Canal, situated in the Samut Prakarn province near Bangkok on October 28. Read more HERE.
