Collapsed hanging bridge claims babe’s life

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – A 5-month-old baby girl died at the hospital a day after falling off a hanging bridge that collapsed at Barangay Camugao, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental Sunday.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Jonel Guadalupe, city police chief, withheld the name of the child, who expired at the hospital around 5 p.m. Monday.

Guadalupe did not reveal the specific cause of the child’s death.

Guadalupe said the child was held by her babysitter when the bridge collapsed, causing them to fall into the river. The sitter lost her hold on the baby.

The sitter and baby were among those who were standing on the bridge to watch a fluvial parade during the annual Sinulog Festival in the city.

Guadalupe said that 23 persons were taken to the hospital for minor injuries.

The bridge was probably overloaded with people, the reason it collapsed. The bridge served as the link between Camugao to the barangay proper for 20 years.