By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay
The Sierra Leone Institution of Engineers (SLIE) and the Professional Engineers Registration Council (PERC) have warned of looming disasters based on the state of four other bridges in Freetown.
The warning comes after a joint preliminary study that was released on Monday, four days after the collapse of the Savage Street Bridge.
The four bridges which the engineers are calling attention to are: Old Railway Line, Kingtom, Tengbeh Town and Pike Street bridges.
The preliminary report, which was done through visual observation, states that water channels for Kingtom and Old Railway Line bridges have been tampered with by squatters, construction of big buildings and dumping of rubbish, as a consequence of which the foundations of both bridges have scoured.
“Retaining wall of abutments even though founded on hard pan, was built using masonry blocks. The extensive encroachment to the watercourse observed is restricting the water flow. The bridge is practically a dumpsite,” findings on the Kingtom Bridge indicate.
At the Old Railway Line, Engineers observed that the bridge was “vibrating”, a problem they urged the Sierra Leone Roads Authority to immediately investigate and solve.
“Sierra Leone has been fortunate that fatalities have been minimal. We believe that the country will not continue to be so lucky and that we are heading for a major catastrophe with the potential for significant loss of life on various critical infrastructures across the country. The Old Railway Line Bridge, King Tom Bridge, Tengbeh Town Bridge and the Pike Street Bridge, if possible, must be maintained promptly to avoid further disaster,” the report states.
Residents have also reported visible cracks on the Tengbeh Town and Pike Street bridges.
The country was shocked last week Thursday after the collapse of the Savage Street Bridge, a major thoroughfare that connects the West end to the main business district in the capital.
That bridge, which is believed to be more than 70 years old, collapsed just before the rush hour, leaving one dead and one more person injured.
The report from the professional engineers states that clay mining, suppression of the natural path of the water flow due to a massive hotel construction few meters away from the Savage Street Bridge, are all part of long list of reasons that caused the collapse of the bridge.
The SLRA has not responded to the preliminary findings but some of its staff, who are also members of either PERC or SLIE, were part of the observation team.
SLIE has for years complained that the government doesn’t seek its advice on any major infrastructure project. As part of the recommendations in this report, the two umbrella organizations called for more involvement and routine maintenance of existing infrastructures by SLRSA.
They also called for the demolition of structures interfering with water ways and also for the relocation of people living under those bridges.
Work on the relics of the Savage Street Bridge has been ongoing with a construction company volunteering to remove the debris.
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