At least three people were killed and another seriously injured after a huge gantry crane collapsed at the construction site of a bridge linked to the Jewar Expressway project in Faridabad, Haryana on Thursday, police said.
The incident took place near Panhera Khurd village under Chinsa Police Station area between 1:30 pm and 2 pm. According to officials, the crane collided with a shipping container used as a temporary site office and rest area for workers.
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Dead, wounded and trapped
The authorities confirmed the killing of three workers. One worker was recovered alive but was seriously injured. His legs were crushed and he has now been taken to hospital, Faridabad Police Public Relations Officer Yashpal Yadav told HT.
He added: “The police received information about the accident at around three in the afternoon, after which rescue workers equipped with cutting equipment went to the scene.”
Difference from The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police and construction workers have been deployed to the site. Rescue operations are continuing.
How did the accident happen?
Eyewitnesses told PTI that heavy rain hit the area earlier in the day, leaving the construction site muddy and slippery. Work reportedly resumed after the weather improved.
During bridge girder lifting operations, the crane, mounted on or placed near a container, lost its balance and overturned, crushing the structure underneath, according to PTI.
Sunil Kumar, an eyewitness, told ANI that the crane overturned during storm-like conditions and there were initially fears that several workers would be trapped.
rescue operations
Bad weather conditions contributed to the collapse, said Pratik Agrawal, deputy commissioner of Faridabad (Ballabhgarh) police. The crane fell on the container and only one person was found alive but injured, while SDRF teams recovered three bodies, he told ANI.
He added, “Due to the bad weather conditions, the crane installed on the container collided with the container itself. Based on the information collected so far, there were four people inside the container. We succeeded in rescuing one person alive, although he was injured. The SDRF team stationed here also recovered three bodies and rescue operations are currently continuing.”
Gas breakers and heavy machinery are being used to dismantle the massive crane structure and remove debris, according to PTI.
“Efforts are still on to cut or lift the collapsed portion of the crane and container to reach other workers. The collapsed equipment weighs several tonnes,” Yadav told HT.
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Site conditions
News agency PTI earlier reported that six to seven workers were present at the site at the time of the accident. Workers and nearby villagers initially joined the rescue efforts before emergency teams arrived.
Officials from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), local administration and police remain present at the site to supervise operations.
(With PTI and ANI inputs)
