Bridge collapse in India kills 15 (VIDEO)
A bridge collapsed in the Indian state of Gujarat on Wednesday, killing 15 people, according to local officials.
As a result of the collapse, five vehicles fell into the Mahisagar River, authorities have said, adding that a loud cracking noise was heard when the structure gave way. Two trucks, two vans, and an autorickshaw (three-wheeled vehicle) plunged into the river, while a tanker remained stuck on the damaged part of the bridge.
The driver, who was inside the tanker, escaped safely but has since gone missing, according to an India Today report.
Emergency responders, including fire brigade teams, local police, and members of the Vadodara district administration, arrived at the scene and commenced rescue operations with the help of local volunteers. Nine people were rescued from the river.
#WATCH | Vadodara, Gujarat | The Gambhira bridge on the Mahisagar river, connecting Vadodara and Anand, collapses in Padra; local administration present at the spot. pic.twitter.com/7JlI2PQJJk
— ANI (@ANI) July 9, 2025
Local residents told media outlets that the 40-year-old bridge, which is on a vital route connecting two parts of the western Indian state, had been neglected by the administration for a long time. ”The Gambhira bridge has become notorious not just as a traffic hazard but also as a suicide point. Repeated warnings about its condition were ignored,” a local resident told NDTV.
Gujarat bridge collapse: Helpless mother cries for help to save her son trapped inside carIn a heartbreaking video, a mother was heard crying and yelling for help to save her trapped son. 'Maro(son) doobi gayo (my son has drowned)," the helpless mother kept shouting as she… pic.twitter.com/YczHUu8y1p
— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) July 9, 2025
In April, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel had approved the construction of a new $25 million bridge, for which design and a contract bidding process has commenced.
On Wednesday Patel tasked a special team with conducting a preliminary investigation into the cause of the collapse, the India Today report said. In 2022, a newly-renovated 230-meter colonial-era bridge collapsed in Gujarat, killing 141 people.
