7 injured as under-construction bridge collapses near Mangaluru

The injured people were swiftly transported to hospitals in Puttur and Mangaluru for urgent medical attention, police said.

Mangaluru: An under-construction bridge collapsed at Mallippady in Bantwal near here on Tuesday, leaving seven persons injured, police said.

The injured people were swiftly transported to hospitals in Puttur and Mangaluru for urgent medical attention, they said.

According to police, three persons - one each from Nanjangud, Gadag and Puttur were undergoing treatment at a hospital in Puttur. Meanwhile, three people from Kolkata, employed at a concrete mixing plant in Mani, are receiving advanced medical care at a hospital in Mangaluru.

One person has been discharged from a Puttur hospital after receiving initial first aid.

Preliminary investigations suggested the collapse occurred during the construction phase over a significant trench passing through Mallippady, a senior police officer said.

Reports indicate that the collapse occurred while the labourers were engaged in slab work using double centering method, police said.

The displacement of the bottom centering rod, caused by pouring concrete mix from above, led to the collapse of the upper section, the police official said.

The absence of supervisors at the construction site has been cited as a significant factor contributing to the mishap, he added.

However, experts have highlighted negligence in the planning and execution of the work as the primary cause of the incident.