At least five people have been killed when a flyover under construction in the Thai capital Bangkok collapsed, officials said.
The collapse, which happened early this morning in southwest Bangkok, injured 24 more people at a construction site, Transport Minister Surya Jungrungreangkit said.
Offering his condolences, he said the victims would be compensated by the contractors and relevant agencies. He said four workers and an engineer were killed and no road users were injured as the traffic lanes near the construction were closed at the time.
Bangkok police commander Siam Boonsom said authorities were investigating to determine the cause of the collapse and that they would take legal action against those responsible.
Photos from the scene show large metal and concrete structures falling to the ground and completely blocking the road.
According to project information published on the website of the Expressway Authority of Thailand, construction of the three-mile overpass began in 2022.
Surachet Laofulsuk, the agency's governor, said they were working to clear the debris as quickly as possible, but he said it could take a week. He added that contractors working on the project had been suspended for 14 days pending an investigation.
Road and construction safety is a major issue in Thailand. The site of Saturday's collapse was part of a major road linking Bangkok to southern Thailand that has been the subject of controversy due to its lengthy construction and frequent fatalities.
Mr Surya said the transport ministry was drafting new rules that would disqualify contractors found responsible for construction accidents and blacklist them from bidding for future government projects.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
