Penang Bridge collapse: Rescue operation a failure - Guan Eng

The rescue operation at the collapsed ramp of the Second Penang Bridge is a failure and is now mere “clearing work”, said Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Lim, who today visited the site where a car is still trapped underneath the rubble of the collapsed ramp, said rescue efforts had failed.

The 40m section of the ramp collapsed at about 7pm yesterday, injuring three people while a car with at least one victim is buried underneath.

The ramp is part of the Batu Maung Interchange project which is Package 3A of the Second Penang Bridge project being constructed by local contractor Cergas Murni.

Lim was disappointed that 18 hours after the incident nothing effective had been done.

“We are not blaming the Fire and Rescue Department personnel or the police as they have done their part but this is an engineering problem as an engineer should have taken charge and provide an engineering solution to the rescue work,” he said at a press conference at the site.

Lim said there are two aspects to the incident — the first is to determine how it could have happened and second is on the failure of the rescue efforts.

“Last night we can see the extent of the operations where there are so many issues where even the crane broke down and hampered the rescue operation,” he said.

He said the engineer in charge of the project should be involved in the operations and that there must be coordination.

As at 2pm, rescue and clearing work was still going on to free the car trapped underneath the hundreds of tonnes of concrete rubble.

Lim said the Penang Island Municipal Council had also issued an immediate stop-work order for all work on the site except for remedial work.

Jambatan Kedua Sdn Bhd (JKSB) had told the contractor, Cergas Murni, to stop work on the affected site yesterday.

- The Malaysian Insider