PANGANDARAN, thekabarnews.com—Authorities closed the Pongpet Suspension Bridge in Pangandaran, West Java, after one side of the structure tilted during its inauguration, causing dozens of people—including Regent Citra Pitriyami—to fall.

The incident occurred at about 4:10 p.m. on Sunday, August 30, in Margacinta village, Cijulang district. Officials and residents were crossing the 60-meter bridge when one of its steel suspension cables failed.

The deck dropped sharply on one side but did not collapse completely into the river. Pangandaran Police confirmed that no one died, although several people reportedly sustained minor injuries.

“Officers immediately secured the location. Thank God, there were no fatalities, and the situation remained safe and under control,” Cijulang Police Chief First Insp. Dimas Aditama said in an official police statement.

Speaking in footage by Pangandaran TV, Regent Citra said the Pangandaran Military District commander [Dandim] had invited her to inaugurate the bridge. She estimated that she arrived at 4:15 p.m. local time.

“On Sunday, shortly after 4 p.m., the military district commander invited me to inaugurate Pongpet Bridge. I attended as a guest,” Citra said.

She recalled that the structure began moving as the group approached its middle section.

“We started walking. Near the middle, the bridge began to sway. I told the people behind us to move back because I felt the bridge was no longer stable. Not long afterward, the suspension cable broke,” she said.

The regent said she was standing on the left when the opposite side failed.

“I was on the left, while the part that broke was on the right. The bridge tilted, and people fell, including me,” Citra said.

The regent recalled finding herself partly face down while gripping a metal plate in the middle of the wooden deck. The Cijulang subdistrict head then helped pull her toward safety.

“After that, the Cijulang subdistrict head pulled me out. I moved toward the edge, and thank God, I reached safety,” Citra said.

Pangandaran administration spokesperson Raden Detty Marieta said a cable bruised the regent’s hand during the incident.

“She is safe. There were no fatalities. A cable struck her and bruised her hand,” Marieta said.

Regent Citra also experienced shock but did not suffer a serious injury. Later, her office announced that she had resumed some government duties.

Pangandaran Military District Commander (Dandim) Lt. Col. Czi Citra Kurniawan said more than 40 people entered the bridge during the ceremony.

He acknowledged that organizers failed to control how many people crossed simultaneously.

“It was indeed our mistake at the military district command. During the inauguration, we did not control the maximum number of people crossing the bridge,” Kurniawan said.

Kurniawan attributed the incident to excess loading. Police said investigators had not confirmed the cause when they issued their statement.

Engineers must still determine whether the cable snapped, detached from its anchoring system or failed because of another structural problem.

The bridge serves Margacinta residents and provides access to the village’s cultural tourism area.

Police have prohibited residents from approaching or crossing it until engineers complete their inspection and authorities declare it safe.