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Newly constructed Hongqi Bridge in China partially collapses, dramatic video goes viral
A section of the newly inaugurated Hongqi Bridge in China’s Sichuan province collapsed into a river after a landslide, months after opening.
A section of the recently inaugurated Hongqi Bridge in southwest China’s Sichuan province collapsed and crumbled into a river following a massive landslide. Dramatic videos of the incident have gone viral on social media, showing the bridge’s concrete structure falling apart as the mountainside beneath it gives way.
According to news agency Reuters, the Hongqi Bridge, located along a national highway that connects central China to Tibet, partially collapsed on Tuesday afternoon. Fortunately, there have been no reports of casualties so far.
A video shared on X shows a section of the bridge disintegrating into the river below. A thick cloud of dust and debris rises as the hillside begins to slide, followed by massive chunks of soil and rock engulfing the bridge’s base. Within seconds, the bridge’s concrete pillars tilt and collapse, sending a large portion of the structure crashing into the river.
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What caused the bridge collapse?
According to Reuters, authorities said the bridge had been closed to traffic on Monday afternoon after cracks appeared on nearby slopes and roads, and terrain shifts were detected on an adjacent mountain. However, conditions on the mountainside worsened on Tuesday, triggering a powerful landslide that destroyed part of the 758-metre-long bridge and its approach road.
Preliminary investigations suggest the collapse was caused by geological instability in the steep mountain region, which has a history of landslides.
The local government said a detailed technical investigation is underway to determine whether any structural or engineering flaws contributed to the disaster.
Notably, the Hongqi Bridge is seen as an important transport link between Sichuan and Tibet. It had only recently been completed, according to its contractor, Sichuan Road & Bridge Group.
While officials have not indicated any construction issues, the incident comes just months after another high-profile infrastructure failure in China. According to a report by Newsweek, in August, a railway bridge under construction in Qinghai province collapsed during a cable-tensioning operation, killing at least 12 workers and leaving four others missing.
