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

17 October 2025
Newsletter Donate Advertise
  • News
  • Life in the Netherlands
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
  • Search
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Election 2025
  • Art and culture
  • Sport
  • Europe
  • Society
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Education
  • News
    • Home
    • Economy
    • Election 2025
    • 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

Alphen crane crash contractor admits mistakes

August 20, 2015

alphen aan den rijn crane bridgeContractor BSB Staalbouw said on Thursday it made mistakes during preparations for the failed attempt to lift a bridge part into place in Alphen aan den Rijn.

The accident happened on August 3 during extensive renovation of the Juliana bridge.

Two cranes standing on pontoons in the river which were lifting part of the new bridge into position toppled over, destroying or damaging around 50 properties. No one was hurt.

BSB Staalbouw director Jan Pesie told Dutch media the plan to lift the bridge part should have been shown to a specialist company.

‘We do not have the expertise ourselves to work out the stability and ballast requirements for putting the cranes on pontoons,’ he said. ‘I failed there. I must do better in the future.’

Since the accident, Alphen aan den Rijn council has said it is holding BSB Staalbouw and a second contractor, Mourik, liable for the damage.

Alphen mayor Liesbeth Spies said last week it could take weeks before the cranes and the bridge section are removed and months before the rubble is cleared.

In the meantime, people evacuated from their homes have been found temporary housing.

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
Election watch: D66 on the rise, Yesilgöz says no
US officials had warned about "problematic" Nexperia in June
How much Dutch does it take for a Dutch person to vote?
Type 2 diabetes costs Dutch economy over €1 billion a year
Two women arrested for dating fraud which netted them €550,000
NewsHomeEconomyElection 2025Art 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 with up-to-date news about this month's Dutch general election.

Our thanks to everyone who donates regularly to Dutch News. It costs money to produce our daily news service, our original features and daily newsletters, and we could not do it without you.

If you have not yet made a donation, or did so a while ago, you can do so via these links

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