The Nanfang’ao bridge collapsed around 9:30 Tuesday morning after Typhoon Mitag left Taiwan. Right before the collapse, an oil tanker truck passed over the bridge and almost made it to the other side. But as the bridge collapsed, the oil tanker fell into the water and caught on fire. The bridge smashed three fishing boats and trapped at least six fishermen. The fire was later extinguished and the truck driver rescued.
Yilan County Magistrate Lin Zi-miao sent the armed forces and rescue crews in right away. They rescued at least 10 fishermen. At least ten crew members like him were injured by the collapse and have been sent to the hospital.
The Nanfang’ao bridge is a landmark in Yilan. The Nanfang’ao bridge was completed in 1999 and is the only single steel arch bridge in Taiwan. It is 140 meters long and 15 meters wide. The bridge spanned across a scenic waterway in the Nanfang’ao fishing village. It was high enough to allow larger fishing boats to pass underneath the scenic fishing harbor.
Authorities are trying to determine the cause of the disaster. The transportation ministry said the collapse of the bridge piers led to the fall and are looking into whether a Tuesday morning earthquake that registered a magnitude of 4 in Yilan was the cause.