Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob has given a 14-day deadline to conclude an investigation into the collapse of a Rama II U-turn bridge beam that fell onto three passing vehicles, killing two and injuring two others.
The incident happened on the Bangkok-inbound lane in Samut Sakhon’s Muang district on Sunday night.
Mr Saksayam told the media yesterday that a scrutiny panel had already been formed.
A deadline of 14 days has been set to wrap up the inquiry, he said, adding that the department had ordered a halt to repair work on the flyover before the collapse happened because it was a period when a lot of motorists used the road after the long holiday. He said the scrutiny panel had to find out why the work was not halted.
“I have instructed every relevant agency to thoroughly deal with the matter as this incident was certainly not the first. The cause is being looked into by experts,” he said.
The collapse occurred near the 34-kilometre marker on the Thon Buri-Pak Tho Road, or Rama II Road, in front of Vibharam Samutsakhon Hospital about 8.30pm on Sunday.
A huge concrete beam, about 15 metres long and its concrete rail guard with a total weight of 25 tonnes fell onto three vehicles passing underneath.
A passenger in one vehicle died and the driver was injured. Two construction workers fell with the falling beam; one died and the other was injured.