A big under-construction bridge collapsed during the heavy storm in Hamirpur district of Uttar Pradesh, killing at least six workers and putting several others at risk. The death toll may climb to eight as rescue efforts continue at the scene, officials said.
The incident took place late Thursday night at about 2 am while road work was being carried out on a bridge on the Betwa River that was being built to join Morakandar and Kandaur villages. Some workers were standing close to heavy machinery in the area while it experienced heavy rainfall and winds when the structure suddenly collapsed, the workers were reportedly there.
Preliminary reports indicate that the collapse started when parts of the bridge fractured in the heavy storm and the failure of pillars that support the bridge. In a few minutes, several parts of the building collapsed, burying security staff and workers under debris.
Police teams, in addition to the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), immediately rushed to the spot after alerts were received, Additional Superintendent of Police Arvind Kumar Verma said. There was a rescue effort around 2am to extricate those trapped under the debris.
People in the area reported a strong storm that hit the area around midnight, leading to panic in the surrounding villages. When the disaster struck they stated that they were building through the night. Additional witnesses also said that two security guards were also killed when the building collapsed on them.
There is an investigation into any possible failures in safety precautions and construction procedures, and it remains unclear if proper safety rules were followed during adverse weather.