Snapped cables at center of investigation into bridge collapse in Yilan, Taiwan

Failure of suspended cables suspected to be factor in bridge collapse in NE Taiwan

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/10/01
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — After the sudden collapse of the Nanfang'ao Bridge in Taiwan's northeastern county of Yilan today (Oct. 1), the structure's steel cables are at the center of the initial investigation.

As of 1 p.m., the Ministry of the Interior's National Fire Agency said that of the 10 people requiring hospitalization, six were Filipinos, three were Indonesians, and one, the truck driver, was a Taiwanese citizen.

Up to six fishermen are still believed to be trapped beneath the bridge inside their fishing boats. Divers have reportedly heard knocking sounds apparently coming from inside the boats, and Marines have been dispatched to the scene to aid with the rescue.

As for the reason why the bridge suddenly imploded, the initial assessment is that its vertical suspension cables, known as "hangers," snapped, causing the bridge's deck to plummet six stories below. After the collapse, badly frayed cables could be seen strewn across the deck of the bridge.
[FULL  STORY]