Five days after the fire at the impound lot on 30/8, the ramp leading down to Nguyen Khoai dyke from the Vinh Tuy bridge remains blackened.

Underneath, the burned-out frames of over 500 vehicles are piled on top of each other.

According to the Hanoi Department of Construction, the fire damaged the concrete protecting the bottom of span N1, exposing the transverse rebar and some longitudinal rebar.

Pier T2 also suffered concrete damage, exposing rebar in some areas. No damage has yet been detected to the gel protecting the prestressed steel.

The T2A lighting cabinet caught fire, causing a power outage to 54 light poles on the Vinh Tuy bridge heading from Long Bien district to the former Hai Ba Trung district.

The fire, which lasted over an hour, caused the concrete under the bridge to crack.

To protect the bridge's structure, the Hanoi Department of Construction has erected a steel frame to support the ramp leading down to Nguyen Khoai dyke. This is a temporary measure, and the Department will further assess the damaged sections of the bridge to propose repair solutions.

Many vehicles, including motorbikes and cars, remain at the fire site. The Hanoi Department of Construction has ordered the complete removal of the impound lot from under the bridge by 30/10. The Ministry of Construction has also instructed provinces and cities to develop plans for relocating parking lots under bridges.

In addition to supporting the bridge, the Department of Construction has banned trucks weighing 18 tons or more from using the ramp down to Nguyen Khoai dyke.

The 3.5 km, eight-lane Vinh Tuy bridge spans the Red River, connecting Vinh Tuy ward with Long Bien ward. It links ring roads, reduces traffic congestion, and facilitates travel between the city center and the northern and northeastern areas of Hanoi.

Viet An