Vadodara bridge collapse: Death toll rises to 19, search operation continues for two missing people

The death toll from the Mahisagar river bridge collapse in Gujarats Vadodara district rose to 19 on Friday after one of the injured individuals succumbed to their injuries at a hospital officials said according to news agency PTIMeanwhile the search for the two remaining missing persons is still underwaySeveral vehicles plunged into the river after a section of the fourdecadeold bridge which connected Anand and Vadodara districts collapsed near Gambhira village close to Padra town on Wednesday morningFortyfiveyearold Narendrasinh Parmar a resident of Dahevan who was one of the five injured persons undergoing treatment at the SSG Hospital died on Friday an official statedAccording to PTI 18 bodies had been recovered by Thursday night and the operation resumed on the third day with teams at the site working to trace two more missing individuals said Vadodara Collector Anil DhameliyaMeanwhile on Thursday Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel suspended four engineers from the states roads and buildings department in connection with the Vadodara bridge collapse incidentState minister Rushikesh Patel visited the site of the tragedy and informed the media that action had been taken based on a preliminary report submitted by a committee established by Chief Minister Bhupendra PatelMeanwhile following the incident a highlevel probe committee from the states roads and buildings department is set to submit a detailed report within 30 daysDuring his visit Minister Patel also mentioned that out of the 7000 bridges surveyed in the state the government has identified those requiring repairs or new construction and actions are being taken accordingly reported PTIAs per the preliminary report of this investigation committee it has been recorded that the bridge collapsed due to pedestal and articulation crushing A detailed report will be given by this committee of the Roads and Buildings Department within 30 days he saidThe investigation report detailing technical and administrative reasons will be submitted to the Chief Minister and further decisions will be made based on its findingsHowever Collector Dhameliya had earlier informed the media that the primary objective of the ongoing search and rescue operation was to recover a body believed to be trapped under a slab in the river and to locate the missing driver of a truck stuck in the water A list of eight missing persons was compiled on Thursday and the bodies of six of them have since been recoveredMoreover the operation is being carried out by the National Disaster Response Force NDRF State Disaster Response Force SDRF and other agencies with local residents also assisting in the effortsMeanwhile Collector Dhameliya noted that rescue teams continue to work amidst challenging conditions including muddy terrain the presence of soda ash in the water and a tanker filled with a highly corrosive substanceHe further confirmed that the tanker that fell into the river was carrying sulphuric acid and precautions are being taken to prevent any leakage Rescuers are also experiencing irritation and itching due to the soda ash in the waterMoreover earlier in the day some trucks and twowheelers were successfully pulled out of the water To address the problem of mud a temporary platform has been constructed on the riverbank using three truckloads of concrete mix for the rescue teams an official release statedThis incident marks another in a series of bridge collapses in Gujarat since 2021 with at least six major incidents reportedMeanwhile at least six major incidents of bridge collapse have taken place in Gujarat since 2021As In December 2021 a slab collapsed during the construction of the Mumatpura flyover on the outskirts of Ahmedabad city Nobody was injured in the incidentMoreover in October 2022 135 persons were killed following a Britishera suspension bridge over the Machchhu river in Morbi town collapsed Where over 200 tourists were present on the bridge at that timeWhile in June 2023 a newlybuilt bridge on the Mindhola river in the Tapi district collapsed However no one was hurt in the incidentWhile in September 2023 four persons were injured after a portion of an old bridge on the Bhogavo river in Surendranagar district collapsed when a 40ton dumper was navigating it near Wadhwan cityIn October 2023 two persons sitting in an autorickshaw died after six concrete girders or slabs which were installed on the pillars of an underconstruction bridge near the RTO Circle in Palanpur town of Banaskantha collapsed reported PTIWhile in August 2024 a small bridge on the Bhogavo river connecting Habiyasar village with Chotila town in Surendranagar district collapsed after a sudden rise in water following discharge from an overflowing dam No casualties were reported in the incident