ZAMBOANGA CITY (PNA) – Mayor Celso Lobregat ordered the City Engineer’s Office to immediately restore and construct a new bridge at Sitio Tawi-Tawi in Barangay Taluksangay, some 19 kilometers east of this city that collapsed on New Year’s Eve due to overloading.

Lobregat at the same time ordered Francisco Barredo, head of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), to closely monitor the victims and provide free medical assistance and free confinement in the hospital.

The tragedy occurred shortly before midnight of December 31, as some 50 people flocked the wooden hanging foot bridge to view the fireworks display being held in the downtown area.

With a capacity of only eight persons, the hanging bridge gave way, causing the freak accident that resulted to the death of two people while six others were injured and hospitalized.

Lobregat motored early morning of Friday to Barangay Taluksangay to personally check the destruction caused by the tragic accident.

Lobregat was accompanied by City Engineer Luis Despalo, City Health Officer Rodel Agbulos, Barredo and other concerned department heads.

The city government, on orders of Lobregat, provided the immediate financial and relief assistance to the victims, including free burial.

The fatalities were identified as Nurwina Jul-arsi, 16, and Hassan Asnalun, 20 years old.

While those injured were: Ibnal Barra, 18; Anas Asnalon, 26; Arnold Asnalon, 24; Ambri Halilula, 16; Alyaser Alim, 16; and, Elias Romon, 16.

Three of the six are still confined at the government-run Zamboanga City Medical Center for treatment.

The city government assistance’s to both the injured and the relatives of the dead included cash aid, rice, assorted noodles and mineral water.

Lobregat said that the hanging bridge should be restored the soonest possible time as it is the only facility that allows the transport of goods and services from the mainland to Sitio Tawi-Tawi in Barangay Taluksangay.