BEIJING — A bridge located in the northeastern part of Beijing’s Shunyi district suffered a collapse on Wednesday morning following a fire outbreak within its structure, as reported by local authorities and evident from images circulating online.
According to the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport, no injuries were reported due to the bridge’s closure to traffic prior to the incident. The announcement was made via the social media platform Weibo.
The bridge over the Chaobai River sustained damage when a fire erupted early in the day. The flames were subsequently extinguished, and an investigation into the cause of the fire is currently underway.
A representative answering calls at the Shunyi District Emergency Bureau stated that they had no further information about what transpired.
Access to the bridge has been completely sealed off, with traffic being redirected to alternate routes.
Social media footage captured thick clouds of gray smoke billowing from the bridge’s sides. Emergency response vehicles, including police cars and fire trucks, were present on the scene to manage the situation.
An eyewitness account, shared with China National Radio, described how the individual was fishing near the bridge at about 4 a.m. when the bridge’s lights unexpectedly went out. Approximately 40 minutes later, the person noticed smoke emerging from beneath the structure and promptly reported the fire to emergency services.