Girl hurt, 15 others rescued after bridge collapses

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – A bridge at Barangay Balabag, La Carlota City, Negros Occidental was temporarily closed to travelers after it collapsed Sunday.

The incident was first reported at Hacienda La Plata, Purok Bagumbayan, Barangay Don Jorge L. Araneta, Bago City.

But after the conversation between Mayors Nicholas Yulo of Bago City and Dr. Rex Jalando-on of La Carlota City, it was found out that the collapsed bridge was not in the inventory of bridges in Bago.

Police Lieutenant Joseph Jaro, deputy police chief of Bago City Police Station, said a girl suffered minor injuries, while 15 persons were rescued from the three vehicles that passed through the bridge when the incident happened.

The bridge was constructed in the early ‘90s, according to reports.

Jaro said the three vehicles were crossing the bridge towards Pontevedra town for a church event when the bridge buckled.

The vehicles included an Isuzu Crosswind driven by Christopher Trupa and boarded with six persons; a Hyundai Accent sedan driven by Anthony Ciocon, with no passengers; and an Isuzu pick-up truck driven by Ruel Magallanes, with six passengers.

Jaro said the bridge could no longer carry more than one vehicle because it was already dilapidated.

“Wala kabalo ang driver na ang steel bridge and beam gabok na, and indi puwede ma agyan sang damo na salakyan,” he added.

Jaro said there was also no warning sign placed at the bridge telling motorists to avoid crossing the bridge.

Nearby residents helped the passengers get out of their vehicles. Fortunately, they were unharmed.

However, a girl suffered minor injuries as she was walking in the middle of the bridge when it collapsed. She was later discharged from the hospital.