The footbridge in Prague collapsed probably due to corrosion of the cables, experts will examine the debris

Prague - According to experts, the cause of the bridge collapse in Prague's Troja on Saturday was likely the breaking of corroded cables. However, the official cause of the tragedy has not yet been announced; experts must investigate the debris. The head of bridge engineers at the Technical Road Administration (TSK), Jan Zemánek, has been temporarily dismissed during the investigation of the collapse. Four people were injured in the fall, two of them seriously.

The bridge, which connected Císařský Island and Troja, collapsed on Saturday afternoon. Two experts from the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the Czech Technical University in Prague, Vladislav Hrdoušek and Tomáš Rotter, told ČTK that the main steel supporting cables probably broke due to corrosion. They stated that both the design of the project and the inspections performed by the PONTEX company were in order.

Reports from previous years had pointed out the problematic condition of the bridge built in 1984, which experts were therefore continuously monitoring using electronic monitoring. According to Hrdoušek, it is unusual that the monitoring system on the bridge did not signal any problems, but he did not want to speculate on the reasons.

Both experts do not see any fault in the project of the building. "The bridge was designed by the company SHP, whose leading personality is Professor (Jiří) Stráský. He is a top world-renowned bridge engineer. I would not look for a fault there," said Rotter.

Stráský stated that he is unaware of any fault in the bridge's design. "The bridge was designed diligently and also rigorously tested. Static and dynamic tests were performed there, so it should be in order," he told Aktuálně.cz. He did not want to speculate on the reasons for the collapse. "We discussed it at the police station and agreed that until it is assessed, we will not express any opinions," he added.

The exact causes of the collapse will be determined by forensic investigation. The debris of the bridge will be transported to a nearby concrete plant, where it will be inspected by an expert, Deputy Mayor Petr Dolínek (ČSSD) told ČTK today. The police concluded their investigation at the scene of the accident on Sunday and handed the site over to TSK. "From our side, the investigation of the entire incident is still ongoing, led by detectives from the regional directorate of the Prague police," added police spokesman Tomáš Hulan.

Until the investigation of the bridge collapse is completed, the head of bridge engineers at TSK, Zemánek, was dismissed from his position today, announced company spokesperson Barbora Lišková. The city management requested Zemánek's temporary dismissal due to the building's collapse. Prague also asked the chairman of the TSK board, Petr Smolka, to review the company's internal regulations and procedures related to bridges as well as inspection reports. It will also be investigated who is to blame for the collapse.

A temporary pontoon bridge could be erected at the site of the collapsed bridge in the spring. According to Dolínek, this is the fastest way to ensure the connection between Císařský Island and Troja.

Due to the collapse, Prague is now reviewing other bridges and footbridges in the metropolis. The city hall has sent experts to examine the condition of the Cable Bridge on the South Connector, which is in poor condition. A total of 110 constructions will be prioritized for inspection. The town of Nymburk also wants to inspect one pedestrian bridge, as it is of the same design and from the same designer as the collapsed bridge in Prague. However, the bridge control system in the Czech Republic is, overall, despite Saturday's collapse, considered by experts in statics to be elaborate and sufficient.