Emergency Services attempting to recover the body in Lochem; rescue groups on the way

Emergency services in Lochem are busy recovering the body of one of the two fatalities from the bridge accident in Lochem, Gelderland. The body of the other victim has already been recovered, an ANP reporter heard at the scene. The help of a specialist team from the fire brigade, the so-called Specialism Technical Assistance (STH) was called in for the recovery operation. There are five of these teams in total in the Netherlands. STH teams are specialized in operations at high altitudes or where there is a risk of collapse. The STH team working in Lochem is based in Zwolle.

Rescue group USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) is also helping with the recovery operation. This team is deployed when people are trapped or buried after a disaster or accident. USAR recently took action after the explosion at the Schammenkamp in Rotterdam. Together with USAR and STH, a plan has now been drawn up on how the victim's body can be recovered in Lochem, the safety region reports.

Two people were killed in the accident, in which part of the bridge under construction became loose and fell, on Wednesday. Two others were seriously injured and hospitalized in Deventer. According to a Noord and Oost Gelderland Safety Region spokesperson, there is no risk of death for them.

People who saw the deadly accident happen with the new bridge have gathered in a nearby company's canteen on the Goorseweg. These are employees of the contractor company BAM that were working on the bridge. Victim Support staff are also present.

Many people saw the accident happen as it had been announced that the bridge was being put together on Wednesday. Some people had come specifically to see the start of the construction work, the ANP reporter was told.

Reports claim that the accident occurred when one of the bridge arches became loose during the hoisting.

A Dutch Safety Board (OVV) team is on its way to the location. The council wants to "get a picture" of the situation to determine whether an investigation is appropriate.

The OVV is looking into whether it can conduct an investigation in Lochem "from which safety lessons can be learned," the spokeswoman explains. "We can't look at every incident." The intention is to learn something from research "for future situations."

The OVV also took immediate action in the train accident in Voorschoten last year. A team was on site the same night for a reconnaissance. Ultimately, the council decided to conduct an investigation.

The province of Gelderland is also sending a crisis team to the location. The province is the client for the construction of the bridge. A spokeswoman for the province speaks of "a terrible tragedy."

Gelderland has to" organize several things in the coming period as we are the client." Traffic diversions, for example. The spokeswoman emphasizes that the focus is primarily on the victims.

Project manager Max Schurink of the province does not want to speculate about the reasons for the deadly accident; he told the regional paper de Stentor.

"I think the circumstances were in order, but let's not speculate about the cause. It is often very complicated how something like this happens. That is not the issue at the moment. The concern goes to employees affected by this accident. Together with BAM, we will look at how we proceed with this. It is dramatic enough."

"I was very shocked by what I saw happen with my own eyes," Schurink told Stentor.

The mayor of Lochem Sebastiaan van 't Erve has said that he is incredibly shocked after the accident. The mayor talked with forty to fifty employees of the construction company involved. According to him, the first priority is to help them with psychosocial care, among other things.

"We are taking all the time necessary for processing and research. It is not important how much delay this causes the project today," said Van 't Erve, referring to the construction of the new bridge over the Twente Canal.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte also offered support to the victims of the accident. "Tragic reports of a serious accident in Lochem, where two fatalities and two injuries occurred after the collapse of part of a bridge. I wish the relatives and everyone involved a lot of strength," the outgoing prime minister said on X.