It’s still not known why part of the bridge near Shulyavska metro station in Kyiv collapsed on the evening of Feb. 27, but the range of possible reasons narrowed after Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko named some of the most likely.
One of the reinforced concrete sides of the bridge at its Vadyma Hetmana Street side collapsed at around 8.30 p.m, taking part of the structure’s pedestrian walkway and parapet with it.
Luckily, no one was injured in the incident. One car was damaged by falling debris.
Mayor Klitschko, who arrived at Shulyavka shortly after the incident, told the 112 TV channel at the scene that the concrete, walkway and parapet had probably fallen due to the bridge having been weakened by a fire that broke out a year ago among kiosks under the bridge.
However, he also said that the authorities had examined the bridge after the fire, and concluded it was safe to use.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said at the press beefing on Feb. 28 that authorities would have inspections carried out on the other road bridges in the city. (kievcity.gov.ua)
But on the morning of Feb. 28, Klitschko said at a press briefing that the bridge had likely collapsed due to damage to its foundations caused by overuse by heavy trucks, according to the TSN news website.
While admitting that the bridge had been in “poor condition,” Klitschko said that it hadn’t been in a dangerous state.
However, that goes against various reports in the media that the bridge had been in a dangerous state since 2013. Even before the collapse part of the structure was visibly sagging, and cracks could be seen in the concrete.
The city authorities started minor repair works only two years ago, in 2015.
Following the accident, at around 9 p.m. on Feb. 27, the city authorities closed the roads near the bridge to traffic and turned off the current in overhead electric wires for trolleybuses.
The road from the start of the bridge on Vadyma Hetmana Street to Petrivka metro station was closed to traffic, as were Yangelya and Harmatna streets. The access road to the bridge from Peremohy Avenue was also closed.
The bridge collapse triggered major traffic snarl-ups. According to Yandex maps, on morning of Feb. 28 the traffic level was 7 points out of 10. The level has since decreased to four points, but it will probably increase significantly in the evening – the bridge straddles the main route out of the center to Kyiv’s western residential districts and suburban towns.
Kyiv City Council announced on Feb. 28 that Klitschko had fired the deputy head of the city’s department of transport infrastructure, Illya Sahaidak. The mayor also fired Maksym Shkuro, the head of Solomyansky district of Kyiv, where the accident occurred.
Emergency workers have already cleared away the fallen debris and cut away other parts of the bridge that were at risk of collapse. Klitschko said the bridge would be partially reopened soon. Traffic resumed on the bridge around midday on Feb. 28.
The mayor also said in a statement on Feb. 28 that he would have inspections carried out on the other road bridges in the city.
