QINGHAI, China – Twelve workers have died and four are still missing after a steel cable broke at a bridge construction site in Qinghai province, Northwest China, on Friday. The accident happened around 3 am while work was underway on a bridge for the Sichuan-Qinghai Railway, according to Xinhua News Agency.
The cable snapped, bringing down a 108-metre steel arch rib. By 6 pm the same day, officials confirmed 12 deaths, and the search for the four missing workers continues. This tragedy has shaken one of China’s major railway projects and sparked urgent conversations around construction safety and how fast the country is building its transport network.
The bridge, named the Jianzha Yellow River Bridge, sits in Jianca County, which is part of the Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. It’s a key part of the Sichuan-Qinghai Railway, meant to connect Sichuan with important areas on the Tibetan Plateau.
Often called the largest double-track continuous steel truss arch bridge globally, the project is both a technical feat and the first of its kind to cross the Yellow River — China’s second-longest river and a source of great historical importance.
Bridge Part of Belt and Road Initiative
The bridge has a steel truss arch design for strength to handle heavy trains over the tough land around the Yellow River. The main section was almost done, with plans to finish it by August 2025.
This project forms part of China’s wider push to develop its western regions, aiming to boost transport and support local economies. Cranes and scaffold towers rose over the site, showing the massive scale of the work.
The Sichuan-Qinghai Railway sits at the heart of the country’s Belt and Road Initiative, which links remote western areas to the economic hubs. Once complete, the bridge would cut travel times, boost freight capacity, and help local development in Qinghai’s mountains and valleys. Now, the collapse has put those plans on hold, changing a symbol of progress into a scene of loss.
The collapse took place early on August 22, as 15 workers and one project manager were involved in a routine tensioning process. During this job, workers pull steel cables to keep the bridge’s arch stable and able to support trains.
Around 3:10 am, a key steel cable snapped, triggering the fall. The 108-metre girder arch rib came down, falling into the Yellow River and taking workers with it. State television showed video of the central span falling into the water.
Early reports had different numbers of casualties, first listing four dead and twelve missing, later six dead and ten missing, before settling on twelve confirmed dead and four missing. The confusion came as crews rushed to get control of the situation. The workers on site likely had no time to react.
The reason for the cable failure is still being looked into. Early signs suggest it happened during the tensioning stage, when even small flaws in the material, or in the way the cables were installed or tested, can lead to disaster. While these cables are designed for huge loads, things like poor manufacturing, stress, or incorrect tensioning could all contribute. This has led to more focus on safety rules within China’s fast-moving construction sector.
4 people died and 12 others are missing after a construction cable broke at around 3 am today at a bridge under construction on the #Qinghai section of the Sichuan-Qinghai Railway. Search and rescue efforts are underway. #China #accident pic.twitter.com/fK0AB2CN4u
— Shanghai Daily (@shanghaidaily) August 22, 2025
Rescue and Aftermath
Rescue teams got to the site fast. By 2 pm on August 22, 806 workers, 91 vehicles, 27 boats, a helicopter, and five robots were searching for the missing. Hospitals nearby set up emergency areas to receive survivors, though no rescues have been reported yet. Search teams are working around the clock in rough waters and tricky terrain to locate the missing and support the families affected.
Photos show the unfinished bridge missing its central part, with cranes and scaffold towers still standing nearby. The Ministry of Emergency Management sent a team to help with search and rescue and to begin an urgent review of the accident’s cause. They called for a quick and thorough check into what went wrong and for special search crews who know how to work in river conditions.
Unfortunately, accidents like this are not rare in China’s building sector. While there have been improvements over the years, unclear rules and gaps in enforcing safety standards still cause problems. In December 2024, a railway site collapsed in Shenzhen, leaving 13 missing with no survivors found. The Qinghai incident is a fresh reminder of the risks tied to big projects, especially in remote or harsh areas.
This bridge collapse has sparked debate about how China balances rapid growth with worker safety. Some social media posts have pointed to major safety concerns, calling this incident another in a list of preventable tragedies. Whether all claims are accurate or not, the public wants answers about how lives and families are affected by these failures.
Crews Under Heavy Pressure
Projects like the Sichuan-Qinghai Railway are under heavy pressure to meet targets on time and on budget. The recent collapse may push officials to review how they test materials, train workers, and check safety at similar sites in the future.
The Ministry of Emergency Management is carrying out an investigation to find the main reason for the cable break, whether linked to poor materials, flawed design, or human mistake. The outcome could shape safety standards for railway construction across the country, especially during dangerous steps like cable tensioning.
As searches continue, the loss of twelve workers and the uncertainty over four missing have shocked the country. Where the Jianzha Yellow River Bridge once stood as a mark of progress, it now reminds people of the risks tied to these huge efforts. The families deserve clear answers, while the public wants responsibility and changes.
This tragedy calls on China’s construction sector to put safety first, not speed or cost-cutting. Many now hope that after the loss of August 22, 2025, the lessons will lead to safer practices, better oversight, and a new approach where progress does not risk lives. The bridge might one day finish its span, but only if safety comes first from now on.
