Yesterday in Bangkok, Thailand, a massive slab of concrete that was part of an expressway under construction that was elevated over Rama II Road collapsed, killing one worker, wounding another, and damaging eight vehicles.In the Samae Dan subdistrict of Bang Khun district, police at Tha Kham Police Station received word at 5 o’clock that a concrete beam had fallen and killed someone along the outbound Rama II Road in front of the Snake Shrine.In the center of the busy road, police discovered a concrete beam measuring 3 meters broad by 10 meters long and weighing several tons.
Construction worker Worawut Pannon, 54, from Nong Bua Lamphu province, was killed when the beam crushed him to death.Four cars on the inbound route and four on the outbound road totaled eight damaged vehicles. One man, Sumeth Kirimek, 40, claimed that while he was returning from Hua Hin, he immediately swerved to avoid being struck by the tumbling block. His glass was broken, his tire popped, and his car roof was crumpled.
He was upset that it took nearly two hours for any officers to arrive at the scene.
According to Surachet Laopoolsuk, governor of the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT),
“At 4:17 p.m., I was informed of an accident when a beam fell to the ground because the steel supporting the structure broke, killing one worker and wounding another in front of the Index Living Mall on Rama II Road. Damages coordination is being done by the project team. Contractors bear whole responsibility.
The incident happened on the route Central Rama 2 – Bangpakok 9 Hospital – Rama 3 – Dao Khanong Outer Ring Road Expressway, which is a CTB Joint Venture made up of the construction companies China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd., Tipakorn Company Ltd., and Buriram Thongchai Construction Company.EXAT must convey its sympathies to the family of the deceased and its regret for this occurrence. EXAT has consistently emphasized the utmost level of safety and will take additional precautions to prevent a recurrence of this incident.
Given the infamous past of the Rama II Road, however, drivers are skeptical that this catastrophe won’t be repeated.
A pickup truck that crashed with a massive steel beam in July of last year was launched into the air and captured on the dashcam video of a passing vehicle. Thankfully, nobody was wounded.
Two persons were killed when a U-turn bridge over the Rama II Road collapsed later that month, collapsing onto four automobiles. One passenger passed away at the spot, and a construction worker who fell from the bridge and suffered injuries later passed away from them in the hospital. There were two more hurt folks.
On the Rama II Road in August, an iron bar struck a car’s bumper. Although the vehicle was damaged, the driver remained unhurt.
