Bridge in Alcala, Cagayan collapses after overloaded trucks cross

Forty-five-year-old Piggatan Bridge in Alcala, Cagayan, collapsed on Monday, October 6, after three overloaded 10-wheeler trucks crossed simultaneously, the Cagayan Provincial Information Office (PIO) confirmed on its social media account.

In an initial investigation by the Cagayan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) of Alcala, each truck was estimated to have weighed 50 tons, exceeding the 18-ton capacity of the infrastructure.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon reiterated that further investigation will be done to determine the root cause of the collapse.

“Iimbestigahan natin ito nang maiigi, pero at the same time, kailangan din nating tingnan kung na-retrofit na ba ito in the past years,” Dizon explained.

Moreover, DPWH has already deployed an immediate dispatch team to conduct a thorough damage assessment.

“We need to find out ways on how to reconstruct the bridge as soon as possible, and I will be on site [on Wednesday] to talk to our engineers on the ground and the province’s governor, Edgar Aglipay, for us to know what really happened here,” Dizon mentioned.

Local authorities and the DPWH urge the public to reroute through Piggatan-Maraburab Barangay Road for light vehicles, while Jct. Gattaran–Cumao–Capissayan–Sta. Margarita Bolos Point Road to Baybayog–Baggao–Sta. Margarita Road is open for heavy vehicles.