Gambhira Bridge collapse:18 Dead, Rescue Operations Continue Amid Toxic Hazards in Vadodara District

By A Staff Reporter

Padra, Gujarat: The death toll in the tragic incident at a river site near Padra in Vadodara district has risen to 18, with rescue operations still underway. According to Vadodara District Collector Anil Dhameliya, teams are working under challenging conditions to retrieve the remaining trapped victims.

“Day before yesterday, we recovered 12 bodies, and yesterday, we recovered 6 dead bodies. Five live victims are undergoing treatment and are stable,” Dhameliya informed. He added that some of the remaining bodies are believed to be trapped under a concrete slab, and intensive efforts are ongoing to extract them safely.

The rescue operation is being complicated by hazardous environmental conditions. “In the middle of the river, there is a 3-4 metre layer of quicksand,” Dhameliya explained. He further noted that the presence of soda ash in the water is causing skin irritation to members of the rescue teams.

A further concern is a tanker carrying sulphuric acid that remains trapped at the site. Authorities are taking preventive measures to ensure there is no leakage of the hazardous chemical. “We are making sure it does not get released,” Dhameliya said.

While 18 deaths have been confirmed, two individuals remain unaccounted for. However, officials have stated that there are no longer any missing vehicles or other persons believed to be in the river.