Five workers dead in Andorra bridge collapse

France24 ^ | 08 November 2009

[csvset]

Two more workers died overnight after a bridge under construction in the Pyrenees principality of Andorra collapsed, bringing the death toll to five, the government said Sunday.

Six other workers were recovering in hospital after the concrete structure of the road bridge gave way around midday Saturday near the Dos Valires tunnel in the Massana valley in northwest Andorra.

Emergency teams worked throughout the night to rescue a man who was trapped up to the waist in rubble, but he died shortly after being pulled from the debris in the early hours on Sunday, according to a government spokesman.

The body of another missing worker was also recovered late Saturday.

The government has said most of the workers were Portuguese nationals.

Six of the injured were rushed to hospital with head and limb injuries. One was later transferred to Barcelona for specialist treatment.

Some 20 metres (22 yards) of the concrete structure collapsed in the accident that occurred after workers had just finished pouring new concrete at the site.

Police are investigating to determine the causes of the accident at the bridge that was to link the tunnel to a road leading to two nearby villages.

Rescue services said some 60 workers were on site when the accident occurred, but the remainder escaped unharmed.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who holds the title of co-prince of Andorra along with a Spanish bishop, expressed condolences in a statement and pledged "France's support and solidarity during this ordeal."

The head of government, Jaume Bartumeu, was to travel to the scene later in the day and visit the injured workers in hospital.

[csvset]

The head of government, Jaume Bartumeu, was to travel to the scene later in the day and visit the injured workers in hospital.

See Obamba? That how this stuff works.

Emergency teams work on the bridge's rubble to find the bodies of workers in the Massana valley in northwest Andorra. Two more workers died overnight after a bridge under construction in the Pyrenees principality of Andorra collapsed, bringing the death toll to five.

[PLMerite]

I bet it’s got something to do with workers from a warm climate pouring concrete in the cold...

[Rumplemeyer]

No, it had something to do with the structure supporting the concrete forms failing.

[PLMerite]

Fair enough. It was just one of the things that crossed my mind when I heard the workers were from Portugal and saw the picture of snow at the accident site.

Wouldn’t be the first time something like that had happened.

[TXnMA]

"Emergency teams worked throughout the night to rescue a man who was trapped up to the waist in rubble, but he died shortly after being pulled from the debris ..."

Apparently the "advanced" French have not caught up with the current use of "crush pants" which are inflated to put pressure on the lower extremities to prevent shock when the crushing pressure is removed...

[packrat35]

Interesting notes about Andorra

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andorra

[Hawthorn]

>> Apparently the “advanced” French have not caught up <<

Andorra is not France. It’s an independent country, whose official language is Catalan.

[TXnMA]

Thanks for the neat enlightenment re Andorra! I thought it was a province...

However, the point still stands that the death probably was due to shock, and that the “crush pants” probably would have prevented the shock and resultant death...

[TXnMA]

"... the Pyrenees principality of Andorra..."

Right there in the first sentence! So much for speed reading... :-{

[fieldmarshaldj]

RIP.

[Mark was here]

I never even knew this place existed. Thanks.