Six workers killed after under-construction bridge collapses in UP’s Hamirpur

New Delhi- At least six workers lost their lives after an under-construction bridge collapsed over the Betwa River in Uttar Pradesh’s Hamirpur district during heavy rain and strong winds late Thursday night. Rescue teams fear more people may still be trapped beneath the debris.

The bridge, being built between Morakandar and Kandaur villages, reportedly collapsed around 2 a.m. while several workers were sleeping on a portion of the structure.

Following the incident, Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the tragedy and directed officials to speed up rescue and relief operations.

In a post on X, the Chief Minister said the loss of lives in the accident was “extremely heartbreaking and painful.” He extended condolences to the bereaved families and instructed the district administration to work closely with the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) to ensure swift rescue efforts.

CM Yogi also directed authorities to provide proper medical treatment to the injured and ensure compensation for the families of those who died in the incident.

According to officials from the Chief Minister’s Office, senior officers were immediately asked to reach the site and monitor rescue operations.

The collapse has raised questions over safety measures and construction standards at the project site, particularly during severe weather conditions.

Hamirpur Additional Superintendent of Police Arvind Kumar Verma said police and rescue teams rushed to the location soon after receiving information about the collapse.

“We reached the spot immediately after getting information around 2 a.m. that a slab had collapsed and some people were trapped underneath,” Verma told reporters.

He added that SDRF personnel, local police and district administration officials are jointly conducting rescue operations. Authorities have so far recovered and identified multiple bodies from the debris.
 

With inputs from IANS