Five Killed, Several Injured After Under-Construction Bridge Collapses During Severe Storm In UP’s Hamirpur

New Delhi: At least five labourers were killed after a portion of an under-construction bridge over the Betwa River collapsed during a severe storm in Uttar Pradesh’s Hamirpur district in the early hours of Friday. Several others were injured, while rescue teams continued operations at the site amid fears that more workers could be trapped under the debris.

According to officials, the incident took place around 2 am when strong winds and heavy rain lashed the area, causing a slab of the under-construction bridge to cave in. Massive concrete sections and iron structures collapsed onto workers present at the site.

Speaking from the spot, Hamirpur ASP Arvind Kumar Verma said, “We got the news at around 2 am tonight that this slab has fallen here, in which some people are trapped. Immediately the local police and all of us have reached here on this news. You can see three people are stuck on the pillar, for their rescue SDRF and our team is trying to rescue them.”

He further added, “We have identified 5 people out of 6 who are trapped. We will rescue them by removing the slab.”

Police, SDRF personnel and local authorities launched a massive rescue operation soon after the collapse. Teams were seen using cranes and heavy machinery to clear the debris and reach workers trapped beneath the fallen slab. Three labourers were also seen stranded on a bridge pillar as rescuers attempted to safely bring them down.

Visuals from the accident site showed mangled iron rods, collapsed concrete blocks and rescue personnel battling difficult weather conditions through the night. Injured workers have been shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Authorities are now probing whether the intense storm alone triggered the collapse or if there were possible structural and safety lapses in the construction work. Further investigation into the incident is underway.

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