Local people around the Chu Va 6 bridge in Lai Chau Province have discovered that the bridge piles were built by bricks instead of concrete, which they think may be the cause of the collapse.

The disaster occurred on February 24 which killed eight people and injured 38.

The accident have stirred up public concerns over the construction quality of the bridge.

Initial findings of the inspection following the bridge collapse, which were announced by transport minister, Dinh La Thang, showed that faulty screws were the cause.  

The information about the piles have just been reported to local authorities after several construction experts said that under the required standards, the bridge piles must be built by concrete blocks.

Bridge piles built by bricks

Phong Vinh Cuong, Chairman of the communal People’s Committee confirmed that the findings were true.

According to Cuong, they have reported the issue to the district's authorities.

“An inspection must be conducted in order to clarify the size of the bridge piles and whether brick-made piles were mentioned in the bridge’s design plan," Cuong said. "I guess that the construction unit made small concrete piles and surrounded them by bricks to ensure standard size. However, final conclusion should be made after relevant agencies conducted an inspection.”

To date, the Ministry of Transport's independent inspection group is still carrying out their investigation.

The Chu Va 6 bridge was a Danish-funded project that was kicked off in August 2012 and was put in use in December that year.

The district People’s Committee was the project’s investor while Lao Cai Industrial Consultancy Ltd provided design consultancy; Ky Hoa Construction Enterprises was the construction contractor, the district project’s management board was supervisor and the provincial Department of Transport was the state management agency.

The Danish Embassy in Vietnam has confirmed that Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) was the fund provider of the project but technical design, construction and supervision were all conducted by Vietnamese organisations and enterprises.