A slab of the Gambhira bridge, which connects central Gujarat to the Saurashtra region and is located near Padra town, caved in, killing 10 persons. Visuals from the site showed the entire chunk of the slab of the bridge between two piers has collapsed
According to the police, two out of 10 persons who lost their lives were siblings -- a two-year-old boy and his four-year-old sister. Pic/PTI
Ten people, including two siblings, were killed while several others were rescued with injuries after multiple vehicles plunged into the Mahisagar river when a section of a four-decade-old bridge collapsed in Vadodara district on Wednesday morning, officials said.
A slab of the Gambhira bridge, which links central Gujarat to the Saurashtra region and is situated near Padra town, gave way, killing 10 individuals, Superintendent of Police (Vadodara rural) Rohan Anand stated.
Footage from the scene showed the entire slab of the bridge between two piers had collapsed. The slab failure caused the vehicles crossing the bridge to fall into the river.
Five of the nine people rescued were receiving treatment at the state-run SSG Hospital in Vadodara city, Anand added, noting that none were in a critical condition.
The SP said the 10 to 15-metre-long slab of the bridge came crashing down at approximately 7.30 am.
Apart from locals, a team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was also deployed at the site, officials reported.
At least six vehicles — two trucks, two vans, an autorickshaw and a two-wheeler — fell into the river following the collapse, Vadodara Collector Anil Dhameliya informed.
Two other vehicles that narrowly avoided plunging into the river were pulled to safety, the collector added.
Three people on a two-wheeler that fell into the river managed to swim to safety, he said.
According to police, two of the 10 victims were siblings — a two-year-old boy and his four-year-old sister. Most of the the victims were residents of Vadodara and Anand districts, and all, except the child, were male.
Among the five undergoing treatment at SSG Hospital, four were men and one was a woman. One of the injured was from Udaipur district in neighbouring Rajasthan, police reported.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel expressed sorrow over the tragedy and announced ex gratia payments of Rs 2 lakh and Rs 4 lakh respectively to the next of kin of each deceased, and Rs 50,000 compensation to the injured.
"The loss of lives due to the collapse of a bridge in Vadodara district, Gujarat, is deeply saddening. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000: PM," the PMO said on X.
Patel described the tragedy as "extremely distressing" and said the state government would provide financial aid of Rs 4 lakh to the kin of each person who died and Rs 50,000 to each injured individual.
He added that the state’s roads and buildings department had been instructed to conduct an investigation into the collapse and submit a report.
In a post on X, the CM said teams from the state roads and buildings department and private engineers specialising in bridge construction had been directed to reach the site immediately to carry out a preliminary inquiry into the causes of the collapse and other technical aspects, and to submit a report.
"A fire brigade team of the local municipality and the Vadodara Municipal Corporation are working with boats and swimmers at the accident site as part of rescue and relief operations. A NDRF team has also reached the scene and joined the rescue operation," Patel informed.
Gujarat minister Rushikesh Patel said the bridge was built in 1985, and maintenance had been carried out as required.
"The exact reason behind the incident will be probed," he said.
Teams from the Vadodara fire department and local residents joined the rescue efforts, an official said.
The nearly 900-metre-long Gambhira bridge has 23 piers and connects Vadodara and Anand districts of Gujarat. It was inaugurated in 1985.
(With PTI inputs)
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