A bridge in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam collapsed after a truck with an overweight load of goods traveled on the structure on Sunday night, authorities confirmed on Monday. 

According to a brief report of police in Tien Giang Province’s Cai Be District, Nguyen Van Thuan, a 42-year-old man from An Giang Province, drove the truck, which was carrying 15 metric tons of unhusked rice, despite its designed capacity of 8.8 metric tons, in the direction from Hau My Bac B Commune to Hau My Bac A Commune in the district at around 10:15 pm on Sunday.

Although Thuan saw the traffic sign banning trucks and passenger buses with over 16 seats at the Thien Ho Bridge in Tien Giang, he kept on driving his truck on the bridge until the vehicle reached the suspended span, causing it to collapse.

Both the 33-meter-long suspended span of the bridge and the truck fell into the Nguyen Van Tiep canal below, obstructing navigation of nearby vessels.

Local authorities carried out a salvage to bring the truck and goods ashore in order to resume traffic on the canal.

Damage from the incident was initially estimated at about VND1.5 billion (US$64,721).

Thuan was temporarily detained for an investigation into the case.

Results from a quick test showed that the driver was negative for drugs and alcohol.

Thien Ho Bridge is a local bridge serving residents along the Nguyen Van Tiep canal and only allows small vehicles.

There was no road traffic suspension after the incident thanks to the new bridge bearing the same name about three kilometers from the collapsed bridge.

All waterway vehicles have been temporarily prohibited from the Thap Muoi No. 2 canal flowing through the Thien Ho Bridge since Monday for the bridge’s repair works, Huynh Van Khe, deputy director of the sub-department for southern inland waterways, said on Monday afternoon.

The repair works are expected to be finished in the next few days.

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