Firm manager gets suspended jail term for Espoo bridge collapse

The Western Uusimaa District Court on Friday sentenced the project manager of a scaffolding company to five months suspended imprisonment over the Espoo pedestrian bridge collapse in May 2023 where dozens of people including 22 children were injured.

The court awarded the punishment as the allegations of 19 counts of aggravated negligent injury brought against the convict were proved beyond doubt.

The convict was also ordered to pay more than 10,000 euros compensation to the victims.

The court, however, acquitted the second accused, the supervisor of the construction company, which built the bridge of the charges as the person was not found guilty.

Dozens of people including 22 children and one teacher were injured when the temporary bridge collapsed at Tapiola in Espoo on May 11, 2023.

Earlier in March 2025, based on the preliminary investigation, police suspected that the accident took place due to negligence of several people and forwarded the case to the prosecutor.

In May 2023, inspection finds faults in support of collapse Tapiola bridge.

In February 2024, an investigation report published by the Safety Investigation Authority of Finland (Otkes) said that the structures of the bridge that collapsed in Espoo in May 2023 were inadequate and it was dangerous for its purpose of use.

The city decided to close and inspect all temporary bridges in the area due to the accident on 11 May.