Burning bridge: Russia’s longest span ablaze (VIDEO)

A giant bridge under construction in Russia’s Far East has caught fire due to safety violations during welding. Fortunately, the steel cable stays and reinforcements have not been affected and the bridge will be finished on time.

The bridge supported by two pylons promises to become the longest one in Russia (3,100 meters) and to have the world’s widest bridge span (1,104 meters). The bridge leads from the city of Vladivostok to Russky Island across the Bosporus East strait and is constructed as part of the infrastructure to be presented for the 24th Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation summit to be held on Russky Island in 2012.

The fire on the bridge started late on Monday evening when wooden casing caught fire from the welding works nearby, damaging up to 500 sq. meters. Because the bridge is still closed to vehicles, it took several hours for 167 fire fighters and 38 fire trucks to deal with the blaze at a height of 64 meters above the ground.No casualties were reported. Though the technical expertise of the consequences of fire still continues, the final stage of the construction is on and the bridge is promised to be finished on time, by summer 2012.