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Barge bashes bridge, isolates Galang Baru

A collapsed pillar on the Raja Kecil Bridge has disrupted transportation and isolated thousands on Galang Baru Island from Batam after it was struck by a 50,000-ton barge on Wednesday

Fadli (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Thu, June 7, 2012

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Barge bashes bridge, isolates Galang Baru

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collapsed pillar on the Raja Kecil Bridge has disrupted transportation and isolated thousands on Galang Baru Island from Batam after it was struck by a 50,000-ton barge on Wednesday.

The collision was blamed on strong winds that caused the APC Aussie 1 barge, which had been berthed nearby, to plow into the bridge.

One Galang resident Maslih, 50, said that there had been heavy rains and strong winds all night and that most of his neighbors only learned about the accident in the morning.

“We are isolated. Fuel tankers can’t come over. We don’t know what will become of us. The bridge is very vital for us,” Maslih said.

Scores of people who gathered at the end of the bridge vented their frustration at the shipping agent responsible for the barge.

Some threatened not to allow the agent to tow the barge away before paying compensation to residents for the adversities that they went through.

PT Batam Samudera manager Andri said the barge had been anchored off Galang Island for the past four months.

Andri said that strong winds and waves caused the barge to drift toward the bridge. Crew members could only stand by as the barge, which can only be moved by a tugboat, plowed onto the bridge.

“The wind and waves dragged it and eventually slammed it into the bridge,” Andri said.

The police have begun an investigation. “The barge will remain there until we finish,” Riau Islands Water Police chief Sr. Comr. Yassin Kosasih said.

Yassin said that investigators wanted to determine if the accident could be attributed to human error.

“We will ask for a report from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency about the wind speed at the time of accident. We can’t conclude anything yet. We will talk to the relevant parties,”
Yassin said.

Although no casualties were reported in the mishap, its impact is bound to be felt by residents, who now must take to the water to reach Batam.

The bridge, which was built in 1995 and began operating in 1998, offered the only road access to Batam for 4,000 residents on Galang Baru Island and 461 families living on Abang Island.

“The presence of the barge has restricted people from passing the sea route, as it is blocking the strait. We want an alternative means to travel,” Galang district chief Taufik said.

Galang Island is about 60 kilometers south of Batam. The segmental concrete box-girder bridge has a total length of 180 meters, divided into four 45-meter sections, and width of 9.5 meters.

BP Batam spokesman Dwi Djoko Wiwoho said that his office had asked the barge owner and the shipping agent to repair the bridge.

“They have decided to cover the expenses to repair the bridge,” said Djoko.

According to Djoko, officials had yet to assess the extent of the damage, which would cost Rp 45 billion (US$4.86 million) to repair, according to preliminary estimates.

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