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Gujarat bridge collapse: 9 dead, chief minister Bhupendra Patel orders probe
Officials said two trucks, an SUV, a pickup van, and an auto-rickshaw fell in the Mahisagar River after a portion of Gambhira Bridge collapsed in Vadodara
At least nine people were killed as five vehicles plunged into the Mahisagar River during the morning rush hour due to the collapse of a portion of a bridge at Padra in Vadodara district on Wednesday. Visuals of a tanker hanging from the bridge went viral on social media. Officials said two trucks, an SUV, a pickup van, and an auto-rickshaw fell into the river.
Vadodara (rural) police superintendent Rohan Anand said nine bodies have been recovered so far, and nine-10 people were rescued. Officials feared the death toll could rise as the rescue and search operations continued.
Vadodara district administration officials, police, fire brigade teams, and residents joined the rescue operations. Five people were rescued immediately and rushed to hospitals.
Cranes were deployed to retrieve submerged vehicles as search efforts continued. An official said that the bridge’s dilapidated condition and maintenance issues could have led to the incident.
Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel ordered an investigation into the collapse as a team of technical experts was dispatched to the site. “I have directed the Roads and Buildings Department to conduct an immediate investigation into this accident. ...I have instructed a team comprising the Chief Engineer - Design, Chief Engineer - South Gujarat, and two private engineers specialising in bridge construction to urgently reach the site, investigate the reasons for the bridge collapse, and submit a preliminary report on technical aspects,” he wrote on social media.
He said the collapse of one of the Gambhira Bridge’s 23 spans caused the incident. “I have spoken with the Vadodara Collector to ensure immediate treatment arrangements for the injured and have instructed that priority be given to these measures.”
He said rescue and relief operations were underway and that the local municipality and Vadodara Municipal Corporation’s fire brigade teams, equipped with boats and divers, were at the site. Patel said a National Disaster Response Force team has also reached the site and joined the rescue efforts.
The bridge, constructed in 1985, served as a critical link between the Anand and Vadodara districts. In October 2022, a bridge collapse in Gujarat’s Morbi left at least 135 people dead.
