Mexico City Metro: construction failures caused accident, according to investigation

Report: Construction Failure Caused Metro Collapse 4:45

Mexico City (CNN) -

Construction failures led to the collapse of a section of the Mexico City subway that left 26 people dead and dozens injured last month, according to preliminary findings from an independent investigation published Wednesday by the capital government.

The investigation, carried out by the Norwegian risk management firm DNV, suggests that the poor welding of the metal posts, which were apparently not well connected to the steel girders supporting a concrete slab and the elevated train rails, it was one of the problems that contributed to the May 4 Incident.

The report indicates that the lack of metal posts in some sections of the structure, different types of concrete used for the slab, and unfinished or poorly welded joints were some of the other factors that caused an elevated subway section to buckle, causing it to buckle. two wagons plummeted into the streets below.

Jesús Esteva, Secretary of Public Works and Services for Mexico City, said the accident was caused by a "structural failure" due to "deficiencies in the construction process."

The ceramic rings that fit around the studs were not removed before they were attached to the frame, he added.

Eckhard Hinrichsen, DNV's CEO in Mexico, said this was the first of three reports;

subsequent reports will be released on July 14 and August 30.

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The Mexico City Prosecutor's Office, as well as the Colegio de Ingenieros Civiles de México, are conducting investigations into the incident.

AMLO and Sheinbaum will await ruling on the collapse of the 5:13 subway

The capital's head of government, Claudia Sheinbaum, said that her objective was to get Line 12, where the accident occurred, to operate again "as soon as possible in conditions of maximum security."

He claimed that his government had assembled a team of Mexican experts at the "highest level" to draw up a "plan to reinforce and rehabilitate Line 12" with the support of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

Sheinbaum added that the victims are being cared for and will receive "full reparation for the damage [suffered]," and that a municipal official was assigned to each family so that "no one is left without support."

The Mexico City metro system is one of the busiest in the world.

Line 12, also known as the «Golden Line», stretches for 25.1 kilometers and has 20 stations.

It was touted as one of the most expensive and ambitious public works projects in Mexican history when it opened in October 2012.

But, in the years since, it has become a symbol of Mexico's social ills and challenges, from corruption to impunity, inequality and neglect.

Rescue worker recounts tragedy lived on Line 12 of the subway 3:01

The Gold Line was supposed to connect historically underserved neighborhoods with more affluent areas of the Mexican metropolis and provide people with equal access to jobs, cultural centers, and some of the best things Mexico City has to offer in an affordable way.

But several experts who spoke to CNN in the days after the collapse said it was a forecasted tragedy.

The dozens of deaths and injuries caused by the collapse were the culmination of a long series of warning incidents that should have prompted authorities to suspend service or shut down the line entirely, travelers said.

Mexico City metro