Suicide linked to fatal bridge collapse

Police confirmed that a technician in Sichuan province committed suicide, sparking speculation that his death was linked to a fatal bridge collapse, Chengdu Commercial Daily reported.

The technician, Yang, was chief engineer with the highway division of the transport bureau of Mianyang city.

At 3:27 pm on Friday, a man called police to report that somebody had jumped off a building.

"He was identified as Yang, the 48-year-old chief engineer of the bureau's highway division," said Chen Wen, an information officer in Mianyang.

Netizens speculated that Yang had killed himself because of his role in the design of the Panjiang Bridge on the Fujiang River in Jiangyou, a city under the administration of Mianyang.

The bridge collapsed in the aftermath of a flood on July 9.

Ten people were killed in the collapse.