(Source: www.channelnewsasia.com)

JAKARTA: A bridge in southern Jakarta’s Pasar Minggu collapsed due to rain and strong wind Saturday afternoon (Sep 24). Three people were killed in the accident, while four others were injured.

Witnesses said the parts of the footbridge collapsed when the rain was heavy. It not only hit people passing underneath it but people using it fell with it onto the road beneath, tribunnews.com reported.

Merdeka.com, who was at the site, said even after the collapse the main structure of the bridge was still intact.

(Photo: Muhammad Luthfi Rahman/Merdeka.com)

“The condition of the bridge is very strong,” said 49-year-old Mamat, a security officer who was there when the incident happened. “Physically there is nothing wrong. The proof is that it wasn’t the whole bridge that collapsed, it was the side-fencing.”

However, Mamat admitted that the bridge was only made with an iron frame and it was also rusting – especially on the floor. “The floors have just been resurfaced,” he added.

He said he thinks the cause of the collapse was natural factors, rather than the billboard that was attached to the fence.

“It’s because of the wind,” said Mamat. “The wind and rain was strong yesterday – some people say like a little typhoon. It was scary to see.”

Meanwhile, 45-year-old motorcycle taxi driver Iwan, who also witnessed the collapse, said he did not think it was because of natural factors.

“The bridge looks strong,” he said. “But on the fence there are plants and a billboard. It had weakened, which caused the wind to knock it over.”

Mamat and Iwan both hope the government will be able to improve the pedestrian bridge and build a new one.

“The bridge is important for citizens to access the train station it’s connected to,” said Iwan.

More Info: www.channelnewsasia.com

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Bridge in south Jakarta collapses, 3 killed