As far as bridges go, the one across Simmond's Spring in Irish Town, St. Andrew, is not much to write home about.

When public attention is brought to a collapsing bridge, it is expected to be one that is heavily travelled and which, more than likely, is called upon to bear heavy loads. But the one in Irish Town, which THE STAR reported on Wednes-day, apparently does not fulfil either criteria.

That does not mean it is not worthy of mention or that it should not be a cause for concern, just because, as was reported, about a dozen people use the makeshift apparatus which now stands in the breach left by the collapsed bridge. A crisis is no less of a crisis because only a few are affected and, in fact, neglecting to fix a bridge which serves a few people may result in the same amount and severity of injuries as if it was a much larger structure.

And apart from physical harm, there is also the possibility of dislocation because, as resident Raphel Manyan said, "if heavy rain come we can't pass".

The collapse of a bridge starts with a crack, just as chaos in a society begins with the breakdown of apparently minor systems. It is highly possible that there are a few situations like the one in Irish Town which, taken altogether, add up to a potential disaster of headline grabbing proportions. It is a serious situation, even if they do not happen at the same time.