DutchNews.nl - DutchNews.nl brings daily news from The Netherlands in English

21 May 2025
Newsletter Donate Advertise
  • News
  • Life in the Netherlands
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
  • Search
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Art and culture
  • Sport
  • Europe
  • Society
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Education
  • News
    • Home
    • Economy
    • Art and culture
    • Sport
    • Europe
    • Society
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Education
  • Life in the Netherlands
    • Latest
    • Opinion
    • Books
    • Travel
    • 10 Questions
    • Learning Dutch
    • Inburgering with DN
    • Food & Drink
    • Ask us anything
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
    • Team
    • Donate
    • Advertise
    • Writing for Dutch News
    • Contact us
    • Privacy
    • Newsletter
  • Search

Investigation underway into Alpen a/d Rijn crane crash

August 4, 2015

alphen aan den rijn crane bridgeA criminal investigation is now underway into Monday’s crane accident in Alphen aan den Rijn, in which two cranes and part of a prefabricated bridge fell on several buildings, news agency ANP says on Tuesday.

No one was injured when the cranes, which were standing on a pontoon on the river, began to sway and toppled onto nearby buildings, crushing several homes and shops.

Three people are being treated as ‘suspects’ in the investigation. ‘It is much too soon to say if any criminal acts have taken place,’ public prosecutor Kitty Nooy told reporters. Treating the three as suspects entitles them to remain silent and to have a lawyer.

Building firm Mourik, which is in charge of the bridge building process, has begun assessing how the cranes and the bridge section can be removed from the crash site.

In the meantime, shipping is being rerouted to avoid this stretch of the Old Rhine, a narrow branch of the Rhine delta.

Failure

Crane operator Jan Zwagerman, who applied for the Alphen project contract but did not win, said the project was doomed to fail.

The cranes were not suitable to be used on pontoons because of the lack of stability, he told broadcaster Nos. ‘Once the surface is no longer level, they cannot be steered,’ he said. ‘The driver can do nothing to correct their positioning.’

Delft university professor Frans Bijlaard told Nos that no one had taken into account possible problems. ‘Otherwise the properties would have been evacuated before the work began,’ he said. ‘That did not happen and people were lucky to escape with their lives.’

No injuries

Officials said at first 20 people had been injured but reduced this later to one man. He had hip and leg injuries but had sustained these before the accident, mayor Liesbeth Spies told local broadcaster Studio Alphen. One dog was killed.

The council is now working to ensure the worse of the rubble is cleared up and that people who were evacuated from their homes can return. This, Spies said, is the council’s first priority.

Share this article
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Copy URL
Society
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.

We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.

Make a donation
Latest
Show more
Bodies found in car during search for missing children
EU to review Israel agreement over Gaza crisis after Dutch push
Central bank president Knot urges Europe to end dependency on US
Europe's last battlefield: Remembering Texel's Georgian uprising
"The Netherlands is innovative yet surprisingly traditional"
NewsHomeEconomyArt and cultureSportEuropeSocietyEnvironmentHealthHousingEducation
Life in the NetherlandsLatestOpinionBooksTravel10 QuestionsLearning DutchInburgering with DNFood & DrinkAsk us anything
About usTeamDonateAdvertiseWriting for Dutch NewsContact usPrivacyNewsletter
© 2025 DutchNews | Cookie settings

Help us to keep providing you information about coronavirus in the Netherlands.

Many thanks to everyone who has donated to DutchNews.nl in recent days!

We could not provide this service without you. If you have not yet made a contribution, you can do so here.

The DutchNews.nl team

Donate now

Dutchnews Survey

Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey.

Take part now