A tragic accident occurred early Saturday on Rama 2 Road in the Chom Thong district of Bangkok, where a concrete beam from an under-construction expressway bridge collapsed, killing at least five people and injuring around 22 others.
The Bang Mod police received a distress call about the incident near Rama 2 Soi 25, adjacent to the Rama III-Dao Khanong expressway, at approximately 1:48 AM.
Reports indicate that a concrete beam, being constructed 200 meters from an expressway entrance, gave way and crashed onto an existing expressway structure, leading to multiple injuries and fatalities. Over 20 workers were present at the collapse site.
Rescue personnel, along with the Bangkok Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, swiftly arrived at the scene to aid survivors, employing sniffer dogs and specialized equipment in their search.
By 7 AM, the death toll had reached five workers, with at least 22 more reported injured.
The search and rescue operations continued through the morning, retrieving four victims from the debris, while one worker was still unaccounted for.
Victims of the collapse were quickly transported to local hospitals for treatment.
A worker present during the incident recounted hearing significant noises from the structure just before it collapsed during the pouring of concrete to connect the columns.
Due to the ongoing rescue efforts, Chom Thong Road was completely shut down to all traffic.
Authorities, including engineers and police, have begun an investigation to determine the cause of the catastrophic collapse.
Rama 2 Road serves as a crucial arterial route linking Bangkok with southern Thailand, including the popular resort town of Hua Hin in Prachuap Khiri Khan province.
Officials have noted that traffic congestion on Rama 2 adversely affects tourism, leading both local and foreign tourists to seek alternative destinations to avoid the frequent traffic bottlenecks.
The ongoing construction of an expressway from Bangkok to Samut Sakhon aims to reduce travel times; however, repeated delays and frequent accidents and road closures have exacerbated congestion, particularly during weekends and public holidays.
Historically, Rama 2 Road has been the site of several deadly construction mishaps, including an incident on November 29 of the previous year when a sling failure led to six fatalities and eight injuries.
Additionally, on January 18 of the same year, a sling broke, resulting in the death of a worker and the crash of a crane’s lifting basket. In May 2023, another worker lost their life due to a falling concrete slab.
