On this day in Labor History the year was 2007. It was that morning that a bridge under construction in Vietnam collapsed.
The disaster happened in Can Tho, about 100 miles south of Ho Chi Minh City. It was a suspension bridge project to cross the Hau River.
The project was run by Japanese firms working with the Vietnamese government. 250 workers were on site at the project when the disaster happened. 55 people were killed and another one hundred were injured due to the collapse.
One reason cited for the collapse was that torrential downpours had caused the support structure for the bridge to sink. Another possible reason was that the scaffolding on the construction project was too weak to hold the weight.
When it failed, it took down a section of the four-lane concrete deck approach ramp with it. The fallen section weighed between 1,500 and 2,000 tons. The collapse was considered the worst disaster in the history of the Vietnam construction industry.
Manh Hung, leader of one of the construction teams described what occurred. “We suddenly heard a great explosion at a bridge head. Dust covered a great air space while workers screamed out. The scene was so terrible. The whole great block fell on people below.”
Vietnamese, along with Japanese and Filipino rescue volunteers rushed to attempt to find survivors. 1,000 local residents gave blood at the hospital for those injured. The rescue efforts were hampered by the danger of a further collapse. They had to use a crane to clear the rubble. Finally, after four days, the rescue efforts were called off.
The bridge project was completed in 2010. The names of the fallen workers are inscribed on a memorial.
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October 28 - The Pony Express
October 27 - The 1948 Donora Smog
October 26 - America’s Florence Nightingale
October 25 - NY Daily News On Strike!
October 24 - Eight Hours for Work, Eight Hours for Rest, Eight Hours for What We Will!
October 23 - John Sweeney is Elected
October 22 - Pretty Boy Floyd Is Gunned Down
October 21 - Through Rain, Sleet, Snow & Anthrax
October 20 - Remembering Debs
October 19 - Tragedy on the Tracks
October 18 - Voice of an Era
October 17 - Fighting to End Poverty
October 16 - Thank A Farmer
October 15 - Too Little, Too Late for Radiation Sickness
October 14 - Marching for Equality
October 13 - We Whipped the Ivy League and You Can Too!
October 12 - Workers Begin to Come Together
October 11 - Remembering Mary Heaton Vorse
October 10 - With a Push of a Button, Oceans Are Joined
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