Furongjiang Bridge Wulong
Furongjiang Bridge Wulong
芙蓉江特大桥为
Haokouxiang, Chongqing, China
787 feet high / 240 meters high
755 foot span / 230 meter span
2009
The 5th highest beam span on earth, the Furongjiang River Bridge is a 2-lane crossing with an unusually large main span of 230 meters. The bridge is very similar to the Liuguanghe Bridge in Guizhou Province but about 25 percent lower in height.
Located in a remote region of Chongqing Province, the Furong River is one of Western China's largest rivers emptying into the even greater Wujiang River about 25 kilometers downstream of the bridge. The span configuration is 132 +230 +132 meters with approach spans adding up to a total length of 539 meters and a width of 9 meters.
During the final stage of construction, an unfortunate accident occurred when an aerial cableway container holding more then 20 workers fell 9 meters onto the partially built road deck after the cable snapped. 11 workers died and 12 more were seriously injured from the tragic incident which took place at around 10pm in heavy rain.
Another high beam bridge in the region is the Gouearxia Bridge which crosses a tributary of the Furongjiang and is about 150 meters from deck to water.
Image by www.77700002.com
Construction view during the early stages of the cantilevered beam spans.
A view of the bridge just after the cableway accident. Image by Xinhuanet.
Furongjiang Bridge incident construction supervisors and accident inspectors.