2 workers die after part of a bridge being built over a Dutch canal collapses

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Two people died and two others were injured Wednesday when part of a bridge being built over a canal in the eastern Netherlands collapsed, emergency services said.

The accident happened in Lochem, 130 kilometers (80 miles) east of Amsterdam, as workers lifted a large metal arch into place.

Nieke Hoitink, a journalist with a regional newspaper, De Stentor, reported that the arch was hanging from a crane when "suddenly there was a huge bang. The entire arch began to sway. Then the whole thing fell down. We saw two construction workers fall.”

The regional security organization that coordinates first responders said in a message on X, formerly Twitter, that the incident “resulted in two fatalities. Two people are injured. Our first thoughts go out to the loved ones of the victims.”

The cause of the accident was being investigated. Such accidents are unusual in the Netherlands, which has strict workplace health and safety regulations.