Fire-hit Thai-Belgian Bridge shut for 45 days
THE Thai-Belgian Bridge which was hit by a fire that started from garbage bins beneath the structure early this morning will be shut for 45 days for repairs, Thai News Agency quoted Bangkok Police Chief Pol Gen Sanit Mathavorn as saying this afternoon (Feb. 28)
The blaze was so bad that it damaged the bridge’s steel beams causing it to lean to one side with concrete slabs at the edges also having cracked.
The Police Chief said traffic flow will be affected during this period because four lanes are no longer in use but to improve the situation police officers will be changing the traffic lights on Wireless Road and halt right turn starting this very evening.
Pol Gen Sanit ruled out demolishing the traffic island to add an extra lane during rush as this would not really alleviate the situation.
Engineers told the Police Chief that the steel beams have to be changed after this morning’s fire as they have twisted and now causing the bridge to lean to one side. They thought about adding beams to the structure but then decided it was not safe.
Regarding the cause of the fire the Police Chief initially thinks it was through carelessly discarding a cigarette butt and police officers are now checking CCTV footage and questioning eyewitnesses at the site to find the culprit.
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Top: Police Chief Pol Gen Sanit inspecting the Thai-Belgian Bridge today. Photo: Thai News Agency
Inset: Flame spreads across the Thai-Belgian Bridge at the height of this morning’s fire. Photo: Thai News Agency
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