Dasmariñas bridge collapse death toll rises to 8; body of last missing victim found


DASMARIÑAS CITY, Cavite – Authorities found Thursday, July 28, the last missing victim in the collapse of a suspended steel bridge in Sitio Talisayan, Barangay Sampaloc IV on Tuesday evening, July 26.

Barangay Information Officer April Rose Movido told the Manila Bulletin that the 14-year-old victim was discovered at 2:28 p.m. and was retrieved at 3:10 p.m.

Photo from Mayor Jenny Austria-Barzaga's Facebook page (MANILA BULLETIN)

On July 27, authorities retrieved the bodies of seven other victims.

In a Facebook post on July 28, Mayor Jenny Austria-Barzaga expressed condolences to the victims' families. She also said that the local government unit will assist the families in grief.

Aside from the fatalities, five others were injured in the accident, including three teens and a 12-year-old girl.

Councilor Kiko Barzaga told the Manila Bulletin two of the injured victims have been hospitalized while the other three sustained minor bruises.

Photo from Mayor Jenny Austria-Barzaga's Facebook page (MANILA BULLETIN)

Dasmariñas City Police Station earlier stated that the 13 victims were hanging out on the bridge when it collapsed into the river beneath.

The bridge, locally known as "Tulay na Luma" or "Tulay na Hapon," has long been closed to the public as it is very old but some residents, particularly the youth, still hang out at the site despite its compromised structural integrity.

Photo from Mayor Jenny Austria-Barzaga's Facebook page (MANILA BULLETIN)