Newly opened bridge collapses, killing three and injuring five

THE collapse of an eight-lane suspension bridge near the north-east Chinese city of Harbin is being investigated by police.

Officials said the bridge only opened ten months ago.

Yesterday, a 97-metre section, part of the airport expressway into the city centre, broke off when four heavy vehicles drove onto it.

The lorries fell 30 metres to the ground, and their cabs were crushed, spilling their loads. Three people died as a result of the incident, two instantly and one later in hospital.

Five other people were injured and remained in hospital for treatment.

Construction failures in China’s rapidly industrialising economy are not uncommon.

In March, a 300-metre section of a new high speed train link – intended to connected the Yangtze River cities of Wuhan and Yichang – collapsed before the line was even opened following heavy rainfall near the city of Qianjiang in China’s Hubei province. No-one was hurt in that incident.