More than three years after the collapse of Cai Doi Vam Bridge in Phu Tan District, authorities in Ca Mau have completed the repair work and reopened the structure for public use. Officials have now disclosed the cause of the incident and reviewed responsibilities related to the failure.

Contractor error blamed for bridge collapse

On March 11, Du Minh Hung, Director of the Ca Mau Department of Construction, announced that the bridge collapse was primarily due to inappropriate construction methods used by the contractor.

According to Hung, the contractor had stockpiled a large amount of construction materials (sand and gravel) near the riverbank. During the piling process, these materials slipped into the riverbed at the exact location where the bridge’s support pillars were being installed. The excessive load caused the main pillar to sink, leading to the collapse of two central spans.

“Since the project had not yet been officially approved, the contractor was required to cover the full cost of repairs,” Hung confirmed.

Accountability and investigation

Regarding responsibility, the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee has held multiple officials accountable, including former Director of the Department of Transport Ho Hoan Tat, a deputy director in charge at the time, and Phan Thanh Phuong, Director of the Traffic Construction Project Management Board, along with other relevant officials.

The investigation initially fell under the jurisdiction of the Department of Transport but was later taken over by the Ministry of Public Security before being assigned to the Ca Mau Provincial Police. As of now, no official findings from the police investigation have been disclosed.

Despite requests, the Director of the Department of Construction did not provide journalists with a detailed report on the collapse.

Background of the incident

On the morning of December 21, 2021, the 280-meter-long, 6.5-meter-wide concrete bridge spanning the Cai Doi Vam River in Phu Tan District collapsed while still under construction. The main pillar sank, bringing down two central spans. Fortunately, there were no casualties.

The project, funded by the provincial budget, had an investment of over VND 70 billion ($2.76 million) and was managed by the Ca Mau Traffic Construction Project Management Board. The contractor responsible for construction was TPM Group Joint Stock Company.

Tran Tuyen