On Carnival Sunday 22nd February 1998, at around 2pm⁽¹⁾ in the afternoon, the Lance Mitan suspension bridge crossing the Moruga river failed. An open van carrying six persons, with a lady walking behind⁽²⁾, were on the bridge when it collapsed due to old age and lack of maintenance. Fishermen, based at the side of the bridge, helped rescue the passengers of the submerged van which included two children. No one was seriously hurt and luckily the fishermen’s quick intervention prevented anyone from drowning.

   Situated in an area variously referred to as La Trate, La Retraite, and La Ruffin - no one quite seems to know exactly - in the district of Moruga, county of Victoria, the suspension bridge was built by the public works department under the directorship of Walsh Wrightson Esq in 1899. As the now broken sign proclaims (see below), the Lance Mitan bridge was maintained by the wardens department up to 1952 and limits the weight of crossing vehicular traffic to 2-tonnes (Imperial). In 1953 the bridge became the responsibility of the Victoria County Council who assigned its maintenance to the Princes Town Regional Corporation.
   A second faded sign on the bridge, reported⁽³⁾ to have been placed on the bridge about a year ago, but from its state more likely to have existed for the past 5 to 10 years states ‘NOTICE Bridge closed to vehicular traffic’.
   This sign has always been ignored.