Fri | Apr 3, 2026

Man dies after falling from bridge in St Thomas

Published:Friday | April 3, 2026 | 2:32 PM
Firefighters transporting a man who fell from a bridge in St Thomas on April 3, 2026. He was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Contributed
Firefighters transporting a man who fell from a bridge in St Thomas on April 3, 2026. He was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

A man today died after falling from a bridge in Easington, St Thomas.

Reports are that approximately 10:00 a.m., the man, who is yet to be identified, was attempting to cross the bridge when he fell through a gaping hole, reportedly created by heavy rains from Hurricane Melissa in October last year.

He was taken to the Princess Margaret Hospital in the parish, where he was pronounced dead.

Minister with responsibility for Works, Robert Nesta Morgan, has expressed deep sadness over the death.

“This is a heartbreaking development. My deepest condolences go to the family of the deceased and to the entire Easington community as they grieve this painful loss,” he said in a statement.

Morgan also noted that the bridge had been closed by the National Works Agency (NWA) for repairs and, according to him, that this information was communicated to residents on several occasions.

“The National Works Agency closed the bridge for repairs in the interest of public safety, and that closure was communicated more than once. We understand the inconvenience that closures can cause, especially in rural communities, but these decisions are taken only where there is a real concern about risk to life and safety,” he said.

He urged the public to observe all safety warnings and barriers placed around damaged or unsafe infrastructure.

“I want to appeal to all Jamaicans, with respect and urgency, to please avoid crossing bridges that have been closed for repairs. These restrictions are not put in place to create hardship, but to protect lives. We ask every citizen to treat these warnings seriously, as no destination is more important than getting there safely,” he said.

The Minister said the bridge is among those to be addressed under the Accelerated Bridge Programme, which will target 47 bridges nationwide.

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