Maastricht bridge in danger of collapsing after houseboat crash

The bridge on the Stuwweg in Maastricht is in danger of collapsing after a houseboat drifted into it early Thursday morning. The boat had become loose before the strong current pulled it over a breached dam.

It then came to a halt against the bridge. The collision caused one of the pillars to sag in the middle of the bridge.

Emergency services had closed the bridge on Wednesday evening. According to the spokesperson for the regional safety office, a slight bend is visible in the middle of the bridge.

The bridge connects the dead-end road, where the houseboats are moored, with the outside world. All homes on the Stuwweg were evacuated and Wednesday and nobody is allowed to cross the bridge.

The hole in the dam widened during the overnight period from Wednesday into Thursday. "We are doing everything we can to close the gap as quickly as possible," said Rijkswaterstaat. Contractors hired by the infrastructure agency are looking to see how they can prevent the houseboat from causing any more damage.

”We want to stabilize the boat as quickly as possible," said the spokesperson for the safety region. "But the problem is that we cannot go onto the bridge, and the ground around it is very soggy due to the rain. The question is if heavy materials can go on it."

Maastricht mayor Wim Hillenaar will speak with the houseboat inhabitants on Thursday morning.