In 2004, the Millau Viaduct, a cable-stayed bridge in France, opened to the public. The bridge was heralded as an engineering marvel, with a maximum height of 343 meters (1,125 feet) and a total length of 2,460 meters (8,070 feet).
However, tragedy struck several years later when three workers on the bridge were killed in separate incidents. Rumors and speculation about the deaths began to circulate, and some people still wonder what really happened to this day. In this article, we'll take a deep dive into the Millau Viaduct deaths and try to separate fact from fiction.
The Millau Viaduct was designed by the French structural engineer Michel Virlogeux and built by the French construction company Eiffage. The idea for the bridge was first proposed in the 1980s as a way to ease traffic congestion on the existing N9 road between Paris and Barcelona.
Construction on the bridge began in 2001 and lasted for three years. During this time, over 600 workers were involved in the project, with a peak of around 400 workers on site at any given time. The total cost of the bridge was €394 million, roughly equivalent to $450 million USD.
The first death on the Millau Viaduct occurred in December of 2003, before the bridge was even open to the public. A worker named Serge Planelles fell from a height of 45 meters (148 feet) and died instantly. The cause of the fall was later determined to be a faulty hook on his harness.
The second death occurred in August of 2004, when a worker named Guillaume Feil fell 65 meters (213 feet) to his death. Like Planelles, Feil's fall was also caused by a faulty harness attachment.
The final death occurred in November of 2004, when a truck driver named Jean-Pierre Sers was killed after his truck hit a barrier and crashed through safety barriers, falling off the bridge. Sers' death was not directly related to the bridge construction, but it did occur on the bridge and is often included in discussions of the Millau Viaduct deaths.
Following these accidents, an investigation was launched to determine the cause of the deaths and to make recommendations for improving safety on the bridge. The investigation found that there were several factors that contributed to the accidents.
Firstly, the investigation found that there were several shortcomings in the safety procedures and equipment used on the bridge. Secondly, there were also concerns about the amount of pressure that workers were under to complete the construction project on time and under budget. Finally, there were also concerns about the way that work was planned and organized on the bridge.
The Millau Viaduct deaths were a tragic series of accidents that highlighted the importance of safety in construction projects. While there were several factors that contributed to the accidents, the investigation showed that improvements could be made to prevent similar accidents from occurring in the future.
Overall, the Millau Viaduct remains an incredible feat of engineering and a testament to human ingenuity. It stands as a symbol of the possibilities that can be achieved when people work together towards a common goal.
