TAIPEI, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Six people suffered severe injuries as a bridge collapsed in northeast Taiwan on Tuesday, according to the local authorities.

Rescuers work near the site of a collapsed bridge in Nanfangao, eastern Taiwan. Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019. (Photo: AP)

The accident happened in the morning at the Nanfang'ao fishing port in Yilan County. A fire broke out after the accident as a tank truck on the bridge crashed into fishing boats moored under the bridge. The fire has been put out, the local fire department said.

Up to 10 people have been sent to the hospital, according to the island's internal affairs authority.

The local fire department said the rescue is still underway as multiple people are missing.

Built in the late 1990s, the Nanfang'ao bridge is 140 meters in length and 15 meters in width. It sits across a waterway in the Nanfang'ao fishing port.

Typhoon Mitag which moved north past the east coast of Taiwan, brought heavy rain in northern and eastern Taiwan over the past few days.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation.