DHANGADI, March 12: The Karnali Bridge in Chisapani, connecting Kailali and Bardiya along the East-West Highway, suffered damage in a fire incident, leading to the closure of traffic.

A moving truck suddenly caught fire and the bridge was engulfed in flames. The truck was completely burnt by the fire and the part of the bridge underneath the truck was also damaged.

The fire broke out around 4:30 PM on Monday in a truck (Na 5 Kha 5297), traveling from Birgunj to Kanchanpur. The fire spread swiftly, igniting the poles on the bridge.

Firefighting teams from nearby municipalities, along with Nepal Army, Armed Police, and Nepal Police personnel, rushed to the scene to extinguish the blaze. It took about an hour and a half to bring the fire under control, prompting the closure of traffic on the bridge due to the extent of the damage.

Chief District Officer of Kailali, Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, said that the poles of the Karnali bridge were also damaged by fire. The extent of the damage to the bridge is yet to be determined, but efforts are underway to reopen the bridge as soon as possible.

Karnali Bridge, one of the longest bridges in Nepal, connects the Sudurpaschim Province with the rest of the country. Karnali Bridge is a star bridge built in 2051 BS. It has a large pole in the middle and steel wires are attached to it to support the truss. 

The bridge spans 100 meters in length and 10 meters in width, with the central pillar reaching heights of 325 meters and 175 meters on either side. 3,870 tons of steel were utilized in its construction, sourced from Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Japan. 

Prior to the bridge's construction, residents of Sudurpaschim had to rely on Indian routes for travel to Kathmandu and other regions of Nepal. Local residents have expressed concern over the damage caused to the Karnali bridge.

 
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