Gambhira Bridge collapse: Rescue ops underway to trace one person, acid-filled tanker hinders efforts

A tragic bridge collapse on Wednesday in Vadodara’s Padra claimed 20 lives, with tankers, trucks, and a car plunging into the river.

Meanwhile, rescue operations are underway for 22-year-old Vikram from Narsinhpura village, who worked at a private company, and has been missing since the collapse of Gambhira Bridge. The search operation has become challenging as one of the tankers was carrying sulphuric acid, and a truck was carrying caustic soda when they fell into the river, creating hazards for the rescue teams and making it difficult to retrieve the vehicles.

During high tide, the current of the Mahi River flows towards the Gulf of Khambhat, and during low tide, it flows towards the sea. Due to this, the search operation is being conducted in both upstream and downstream directions.

Authorities are also investigating whether Vikram or anyone else might be trapped under the collapsed bridge slab. According to sources, the operation is being carried out in three phases: the first phase involves retrieving the deceased, the second consists of removing the vehicles, and the final phase will focus on clearing the broken scrap of the bridge.

There was suspicion that a vehicle similar to an Eeco van might be trapped under a truck loaded with tiles. However, once the truck was removed, no vehicle was found underneath, bringing some relief to the officials. Due to the presence of an acid-filled tanker that had fallen into the river, the rescue operation is being carried out with extreme caution.