ARCUS Atlas record
Ponte Stefano Gioia
Total collapse of the Ponte Stefano Gioia over the Lao river near Laino Castello (Cosenza, Calabria) on 7 December 2017 at approximately 14:45. The bridge, a 70-metre glued laminated timber (glulam) structure built in 2000 by the Consorzio di Bonifica del Pollino and considered innovative at the time of its inauguration, had been closed to traffic since October 2017 due to detected structural deterioration. The collapse was attributed to complete lack of maintenance since construction, with fungal growth and wood rot having weakened the primary structural elements. The bridge connected the Campicello fraction of Laino Castello with the Nuppolara contrada of Papasidero near the Grotta del Romito, and was named after a rafting guide from Laino Borgo who died in Chile in 2010. No fatalities or injuries were reported as the structure was already closed.
- ARCUS ID
- IT17.12.01
- Date
- 2017-12-07
- Municipality
- Laino Castello
- Province
- Cosenza
- Region
- Calabria
- Coordinates
- 39.9242, 15.9386 · exact location
- Crossing
- Lao river
- Use
- Municipal
- Severity
- TC
- Structural type
- Beam bridge
- Material
- Timber
- Construction year
- 2000
- Cause category
- Human-induced
- Specific cause
- Material
- Failure trigger
- No identifiable external trigger
- Failure process
- Other documented mode
- Component involved
- Deck / superstructure
- Cause evidence
- Probable
- Source confidence
- High
- Victims
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
Documentary sources (3)
- Crolla il ponte sul fiume Lao tra Laino Castello e Papasidero (News · LaC News24 · 2017-12-07)
- Crolla il ponte sul fiume Lao: inaugurato in pompa magna nel 2000, doveva durare 30 anni (News · QuiCosenza · 2017-12-10)
- Il Ponte Stefano Gioia sul fiume Lao è crollato (News · Italia Nostra · 2017-12-11)