Flyover beams fall on major Cavite highway, stalling traffic

Workers rush to clear the debri from a collapsed portion of a flyover along Aguinaldo Highway corner Daanghari in Imus, Cavite after a boom crane carrying a large beam broke off during construction last Saturday night. No one was hurt in the incident. INQUIRER/MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

SAN PEDRO CITY — Traffic ground to a halt along Aguinaldo Highway in Cavite province on Sunday, following the collapse of concrete beams in the ongoing construction of a flyover in Imus City.

Cavite Gov. Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla said motorists had to detour to avoid the accident site on the intersection of the highway and the Daang Hari Boulevard.

The area had been cleared of debris by 3 p.m. but the road remained closed to heavy vehicles.

PO3 Larry Alegre, of the Imus City police, said six concrete beams collapsed early on Sunday.

“There must have been some miscalculation,” Alegre said.

‘Poor workmanship’

The entire road was initially closed but light vehicles were later allowed to pass through, Remulla said in a phone interview. “We can say poor workmanship on the part of the contractor,” Remulla said.

The flyover is part of the Daang Hari extension project of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, head of the Calabarzon police, said the private contractor was JBL Builders.

In a phone interview on Sunday, Oscar dela Cruz, DPWH Cavite district engineer  said, the contractor JBL Builders acknowledged that it was an accident.