A bridge in an outer district of Ho Chi Minh City gave way on Friday night as a truck weighing nearly five times its allowed capacity tried to get over the steel structure.

The truck and one motorbike passing Long Kien Bridge in Nha Be District were sent to the river following the collapse, but no casualties were reported, according to local authorities.

The incident happened at around 10:00 pm, when a tipper truck loaded with construction pebbles, weighing a total 15 metric tons, attempted to cross the bridge, heading towards Long An Province.

No vehicle weighing over 3.5 tons is allowed on Long Kien Bridge, according to traffic signs placed at both ends of the structure.

The illegal maneuver ended in tragedy, as the bridge collapsed when the truck was half way across, sending the vehicle and a motorbike to the river.

The municipal fire department dispatched a team of divers to look for possible victims in the water, but concluded that there were no human casualties after hours of search.

It is understood that the truck driver, 30-year-old Nguyen Thanh Lam, had escaped his vehicle and swam to safety, while the motorcyclist was also unharmed.

Divers look for victims in the water following the collapse of the Long Kien Bridge in Nha Be District, Ho Chi Minh City, January 19, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Long Kien is one of four major bridges connecting District 7 and Nha Be District in southern Ho Chi Minh City, and is subject to pressure from busy traffic throughout the day.

In September 2015, the bridge suffered severe structural damages after a barge rammed into its abutment in a river accident.

A plan has been approved by the municipal administration since 2001 to rebuild the battered bridge, but has yet to be carried out due to hurdles concerning land clearance, according to Nguyen Thanh Thoai, chairman of Nha Be’s Nhon Duc Commune where it is located.

A Google Maps photo showing the location of the Long Kien Bridge in Nha Be District, Ho Chi Minh City.

Friday’s collapse also damaged the water pipelines and electricity cables that were installed along the bridge, according to Bui Xuan Cuong, director of Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Transport.

Authorities would repair the bridge for temporary use while waiting for a new bridge to be built and put into use in 2019, Cuong said.

Surveillance cameras would also be installed on the bridge to discourage drivers from violating the weight limit, he added.

Traffic signs banning vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tons from getting on the Long Kien Bridge in Nha Be District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Divers look for victims in the water following the collapse of the Long Kien Bridge in Nha Be District, Ho Chi Minh City, January 19, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

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