Bridge Collapse: An Unfortunate Turn in Lochem
Let’s talk about bridges—not the romantic ones in Paris, but the kind that go down hard and take lives with them. Yes, folks, this is the unfortunate saga of the Nettelhorster Bridge in Lochem. I mean, when you build a bridge and it *falls apart*, that’s not exactly the kind of ‘support’ construction workers were hoping for, eh?
In February, while most of us were busy trying to find out if we’d get a day off for a holiday, two construction workers met with tragedy when one of the large bridge arches decided to play ‘drop the bridge’ from its hoist. It turns out, the hoist wasn’t up to the task, and sadly, neither was the bridge. Two lives were lost, puncturing a hole in the project that left us with more questions than answers.
A Little Help from the Authorities
Now, you’d think after losing lives that folks would be crawling all over this like ants on a dropped ice cream cone. Enter the Labor Inspectorate and the Dutch Safety Board, both keen on investigating what went wrong. Criminal investigations? Oh, darling, now we’re talking! Nothing says ‘oops’ like a criminal investigation; it’s like a kick in the safety gear for contractors everywhere.
Irony alert: while the detectives are digging for clues, work on the bridge is set to resume next week. But don’t worry—safety first! They’re planning to erect a “temporary support structure.” Which, to me, sounds a bit like a band-aid on a bullet wound. I mean, is it just me, or does a temporary structure to support a *collapsed* bridge seem a bit flawed in the logic department? This isn’t a DIY project gone wrong, after all.
The Status Update on Construction
Let’s get to the juicy bits: the arch that fell—the one that was meant to be a glorious display of engineering—had such a dramatic fall that it landed on the bridge deck, declaring itself *unusable*. And guess what? Those pieces are no longer in Lochem; they’ve had to take a little trip to Ghent for some serious reconstruction business. One can only imagine them on a ferry, sipping lattes, while they wait to get back into action.
As if that’s not enough, the new bridge parts are due to arrive by ship at the construction site on the Twentekanaal. Get ready, Lochem, because come December, you might just see those arch parts being hoisted up into place. All this excitement for what’s being dubbed the “future icon” of the Achterhoek city. Let’s put that on a postcard, shall we? “Welcome to Lochem, where bridges fall, but we keep building!”
A Silver Lining? Maybe.
But fear not! The Lochem ring road project, designed for better traffic flow and road safety, is almost finished despite the hiccup in bridge building. Traffic jams may soon be a thing of the past—unless, of course, you’re stuck behind a truck full of timbers meant for your new icon. Isn’t life layered with irony?
So, will this bridge become the shining mark of hope and progress for the city, or will it remain a tragic reminder of what happens when things go sideways? Here’s hoping that construction workers can finish this job safely, and those investigations yield some serious lessons in safety. Let’s keep our fingers crossed while we’re at it, because God knows, safety inspectors might be more popular than politicians right now!
ANPE Part of the bridge under construction collapsed in February this year
In collaboration with
Omroep Gelderland
NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 18:31
Work on the Nettelhorster Bridge in Lochem, where a fatal accident took place earlier this year, will restart next week. In February, one of the large bridge arches fell from the hoists of a crane. Two construction workers were killed.
Work has been at a standstill since then. However, the Labor Inspectorate is conducting a criminal investigation into the accident, led by the Public Prosecution Service. The Dutch Safety Board is also investigating the cause of the accident. These investigations have not yet been completed.
Support
Nevertheless, work on the bridge will resume next Monday. Then a temporary support structure is first made, writes Omroep Gelderland. It consists of a second building tower and more support points. Preparations are also being made for the arrival of new bridge sections.
The part of the bridge that came loose and the bridge deck it landed on were damaged to such an extent that they could no longer be used. The parts had to be remade at a construction site in Ghent.
At the beginning of November they arrive by ship at the construction site on the Twentekanaal in Lochem. The arch parts of the bridge are expected to be lifted into place in December.
Icon of the city
The new bridge is considered a future icon for the city in the Achterhoek. It is part of the Lochem ring road, which is intended to improve traffic flow and road safety. Because work continued on the rest of the ring road after the accident, it is almost finished.