Incompetence hurts workers, wreck a crane after bridge collapse

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

LINGAYEN – Was it sheer stupidity on the part of the private contractor why the concrete bridge here collapsed that pulled down the workers and the crane to the river after it was being demolished?

According to Pangasinan 2nd District Engineering Office's District Engineer Rodolfo Dion, the primary cause of the mishap that hurt four workers was incompetence after the foreman instructed his personnel to tear down first the iron trusses of the San Jose Bridge in Barangay Baay  here.

Curious onlookers watch the crane that fell in the river after
 the bridge in Pangasinan collapsed. Photo Credit. Philippine Star

“The contractor took hook, line, and sinker the explanation of the foreman who is not an engineer to demolish first the iron trusses that resulted for the bridge to collapse, “Dion stressed.

The District Engineer explained that without a reinforcement from the trusses the  concrete pavement could  not hold the weight of the bridge, the four workmen, and the crane above it.

This incident ensued early this year.

Dion said that before the tragedy he even told the contractor to cut first the concrete before demolishing the trusses.

“Wala namang legal consequences. Pero iyong contractor papagamot niya iyong apat na laborer,” he said.

Those injured were Vivencio Conise, 57;  Kenneth Castro, 21; Roberto Llanillo, 38; and Bartolome Aqui, 48.

Reports said the workers were demolishing the San Jose Bridge in Barangay Baay when the accident occurred at around 3 p.m.     

Dion also said that the demolition in the Basing River here was not under the supervision of his office but under the regional office of the Department of Public Works and Highway in San Fernando City, La Union.