First it was 'tofu' schools, now foam bridges. Shanghai engineers have become the subject of ridicule from internet users after a supposedly concrete bridge was found stuffed with rubbish and plastic foam.
Repairmen found that the piers of the crossing over Suzhou Creek in Putuo district had been stuffed with sacks, foam and waste from landfills, Xinhua reported. Authorities were alerted when residents saw a square-metre concrete cover fall to the ground on Monday.
The bridge was renovated and reopened in January, but residents from nearby communities complained they had seen huge holes in the piers in the past few months.
The building contractor, the Shanghai Construction Group, denied any safety hazard after an initial investigation, saying the fallen boards and holes were decorative features that would not affect the structure, Xinhua said.
The Shanghai Urban Construction and Communications Commission also confirmed that the bridge was safe for commuters and drivers. Officials said the bridge underwent an inspection by engineers, who concluded the main structure was not affected.
'Shanghai people have difficult lives,' respected blogger Hecaitou wrote on Twitter. 'Buildings collapse during construction, subways collide and now they even use rubbish to build bridges. You need to be brave to live in such a place.'