The collapsed bridge section C of the Carola Bridge cannot be saved. Demolition is being prepared. The debris lying in the Elbe is also a problem – also because there is a risk of flooding there.
Dresden – The Dresden Elbe Bridge, which partially collapsed on Wednesday night, is now at risk of collapse. This affects the entire structure, but a concrete assessment is currently “very difficult,” said fire department spokesman Michael Klahre at an on-site meeting on Thursday. “What has now bent cannot be held.” This section is being demolished in a controlled manner, and appropriate measures are being examined and prepared in coordination with specialists, the THW and the Bundeswehr. On Wednesday night, a section of the Carola Bridge in Saxony’s capital, about 100 meters long, collapsed, over which tram tracks and a footpath and cycle path ran.
Threatening Elbe flooding increases danger
In view of the threat of flooding on the Elbe next weekend, the mayor also called together the emergency response team, in which the responsible parties meet daily. The committee declared the area of operation and the Carola Bridge a no-fly zone for drones after flying objects of unknown origin were sighted there last night. It is not yet possible to say what effect this will have on the debris lying in the river and the bridge as a whole. The situation is still “very diffuse.
“It is ultimately a question of time whether this bridge collapses further,” said Klahre, describing the situation. In preparation for this, a substructure was built on the New Town side last night to stabilize the bridge. The same should be done on the Old Town side by the afternoon. This will ensure that cars currently under the bridge can be removed as quickly as possible. “This is important in view of the expected flooding, because this is a flood zone.”
Bridge parts still moving
No concrete statements can be made about the controlled demolition of part C, said Klahre. It is not yet clear “what options we have. It is unlikely that the debris lying in the middle of the river will be recovered before the flood. Since all of the bridge’s strands are connected, “a transfer of force took place,” which also has an impact on the bridge sections that are still standing. How stable these are is still being examined. With the remains of part C, “something will definitely happen, it will continue to move, minimally, but it will continue to move,” he said. “Either we intervene or it will collapse at some point.” dpa
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