Overloaded Truck Causes Bridge Collapse in Taounate, Morocco; Driver Injured

The maximum authorized weight for vehicles using this bridge is 10 tons. But this truck weighed 30 tons. It was loaded with construction materials. This caused the bridge to collapse. The driver who jumped by reflex to limit the damage was seriously injured.

A statement from the ministry states: "The reinforced concrete bridge located on Oued Lben, at kilometer point 2+200 of Provincial Road No. 5331, connecting Rass Eloued to Tissa, in the province of Taounate, with a length of 62m and a width of 4m, collapsed at 9:20 am on Thursday, April 4, 2019, following the passage of a heavy truck loaded with construction materials and whose total weight exceeds 30 tons."

There was a limitation sign indicating that it should not exceed 10 tons, but the driver did not respect it. According to Alyaoum24, the ministry intends to prosecute both the driver and the company he works for, especially since the latter had previously been warned not to use this bridge with heavy trucks carrying materials from quarries.