COLLAPSE OF BRIDGE
Close Call For Truck-Driver (N.2. Press Association) AUCKLAND, February 22. Mr G. L. Upston, of Otorohanga, was driving a seventon transporter carrying a bulldozer over a 140 ft bridge at Otorohanga today when he felt a sudden drag on his rear wheels. When he had crossed he looked back and saw a gap where the bridge had been.
The bridge, built in 1910 was known as the Red bridge, and crossed the Waipa river about 50 yards from the main street of Otorohanga on the Otorohanga-Kawhia main highway. Mr Upston said he approached the bridge about 1 p.m. and drove slowly on. He was about half-way across when he felt the drag on his rear Wheels.
“I thought I had lost one of my rear wheels .so 1 changed down a gear and gave the truck everything it had,’’ he said. “When I got to the other side, I looked back at the bridge and it wasn't there. It was a fairly close call.” The river was about 15ft deep under the bridge. The Otorohanga county engineer, Mr B. McKenzie, said a totara truss on the bridge had splintered and collapsed. About 40ft of the bridge supported by the truss had fallen into the river.
Tenders have already been called for a new concrete bridge.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CII, Issue 30064, 23 February 1963, Page 12
Word Count
218COLLAPSE OF BRIDGE Press, Volume CII, Issue 30064, 23 February 1963, Page 12
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