Widened Yuhsin Bridge Collapsed upon Strong Earthquake 拓寬工程不堪強震 玉里玉興橋大梁遭震垮

Meanwhile, the Yuhsin Bridge in Yuli has also been severly affected after 23 beams were damaged by the quake, resulting in losses around NT$50 million and a delay of its widening project.

The two sides of the Yuhsin Bridge appear fragmented in pieces. Beams measuring 40-46 meters are broken into several segments and a big portion fell into the riverbed. In fact, these beams were only hoisted last Saturday. Thus the damage from the earthquake is especially severe.

Ma Hsi-jun, Deputy Director, Suhua Improvement Engineering Office: “We have a total of 32 beams and with the initial inspection, around 23 are damaged. The period right after hoisting beams is the most unstable and unsafe stage of the bridge.”

Several aftershocks continued after the strong earthquake, and after a huge whirring shake, the billboards nearby Yuli Hospital kept shaking nonstop, and thus for safety reasons, the personnel from the Suhua Improvement Engineering Office rushed onsite to seal off the bridge.

“It might explode so please stay away. (reporter:“Is this now a controlled area? ”)Yes, yes, we are now implementing controls.”

Originally Yuhsin Bridge only has two lanes; therefore, to widen the bridge, the bridge beam is placed on the new pier. Unfortunately, with the strong earthquake, the different parts broke or got thrust out of shape, with the reinforcing steel exposed and twisted, while the machines and tools nearby also got flattened.

The Suhua Improvement Engineering Office notes that luckily the earthquake happened at night and not during the day when the construction workers are working, or the consequences would be hard to imagine. The initial estimate of losses is NT$1 million for one beam, coupled with construction delay, total losses may be up to NT$50 million.

Ma Hsi-jun, Deputy Director, Suhua Improvement Engineering Office: “This damage is not just about money. The impact on the construction period is indeed quite substantial.”

After the earthquake, the personnel from the Suhua Improvement Engineering Office immediately conducted safety inspections and assessed no apparent damage to the old pier and structure. If confirmed, the bridge will reopen at 8 a.m. on March 24. As for the broken beam for the new bridge, it should be transported as soon as possible. 

從空中俯瞰，玉興橋兩側支離破碎，長達40到45公尺的大梁斷成好幾截、大量掉落在河床，公視記者在天一亮隨即出動空拍機，拍下新橋拓寬工程不堪強震、扭曲斷裂，其實這些大梁才在上週六吊裝完畢，在施作安全設備期間遭逢大震，損害嚴重。

蘇花改工程處副處長馬錫鈞表示:「我們總共32支梁，大概初步的檢查，大概有23根梁損壞，剛吊完梁這個階段，也是橋梁最不穩定、最不安全的時候。」

強震後餘震不斷，突然一陣天搖地動，玉興橋旁的玉里醫院豎立的招牌搖晃不已，為了安全，大梁嚴重毀損後，蘇花改工程處人員趕來現場、封鎖橋梁，通知在場記者快撤退。「會爆裂喔，你們不要進來，（記者問：你現在是在做管制了嗎？）對對對，我們現在要做管制喔。」

玉興橋原本只有兩線道，為了拓寬，新建橋墩放上大梁，然而不堪驚天一震，斷的斷、變形的變形，鋼筋裸露扭曲，連停放一旁的機具也遭大梁壓扁。

蘇花改工程處表示，幸好斷梁發生在夜間，而不是白天工人施工時，否則後果不堪設想。初估一根大梁損失一百萬元，再加上工期延宕，損失恐上看五千萬元。

馬錫鈞又補充:「這樣的一個損傷，對我們來講真的不只是錢的問題，對工期來講確實對我們是有一些蠻大的影響。」

事發後，蘇花改工程處人員隨即進行安全檢查，初步評估舊橋橋墩與結構無明顯損壞，確認沒有問題後，預計24日8時開放通行，至於新橋斷裂的大梁，則要盡速移除。