Vadodara Gambhira bridge collapse: 9 dead after vehicles fall into Mahisagar river as bridge collapses in Gujarat

As many as nine people died and five others were rescued after a part of an old bridge collapsed in Gujarat’s Vadodara district on Wednesday morning. The accident happened when a slab of the Gambhira bridge, built over the Mahisagar river, suddenly gave way. The bridge connects central Gujarat to the Saurashtra region. According to Gujarat Health Minister Rushikesh Patel, five to six vehicles, including two trucks and two vans, fell into the river after the collapse. “Sadly, three lives were lost and five people were rescued,” the minister told the media.

The bridge was built in 1985, and maintenance had been done from time to time, he said. However, the exact cause of the collapse is still not known and will be investigated.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has asked technical experts to visit the site and find out what caused the slab to fall.

Videos from the scene showed that a large slab between two support pillars of the bridge had completely fallen into the river.

The accident took place at around 7:30 in the morning, said Padra police inspector Vijay Charan. Rescue efforts began immediately, with help from the Vadodara fire department, local people, and other teams.

A team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was also sent to the spot with rescue tools.

The Gambhira bridge is 900 metres long and has 23 support pillars. It connects Vadodara and Anand districts and was opened to the public in 1985.

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