SCMP: Concern over China’s Bridge Safety

SCMP says: “18 have collapsed since 2007, and experts point to rushed construction, ‘smart’ design and graft

“At least 18 bridges have collapsed on the mainland since 2007, killing 135 people, according to the records of the State Administration of Work Safety. Most had been in use for less than 15 years.

“The latest victims were three people killed on Friday when a 100-metre section of approach ramp snapped a bridge in Harbin, Heilongjiang.

“The true number of collapses could be higher because some cases are classified by the work safety agency under other categories such as natural disasters.

“Poor-quality construction is seldom singled out for blame by local authorities, though the collapse of a just-completed bridge in Fenghuang, Hunan, in 2007, in which 64 people were killed, is an exception. Instead flooding, overloaded vehicles or cargo ships hitting bridge supports are more often blamed.”

“Corruption had also led to poor-quality construction”, said an expert.

via SCMP.com – Concern over mainland bridge safety.