PDC chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Bazid Abd Kahar said a check by the Institution of Engineers Malaysia Penang showed that the failure of the soft clay below the bridge resulted in soil movement of the entire temporary platform.
Pier 2 of the bridge was reported to have collapsed in mid-November, moving five to six metres from its original position. It was one of four key piers that would see the expansion of the Batu Kawan Bridge from two lanes to six in the coming year. No workers were injured in the incident, which occurred on Nov 17 when the pier broke and collapsed into the river.Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who visited the site after the incident, said work on the widening of the bridge began in 2017 and was expected to be completed in 2021.