Four labourers trapped as structure caves in at Bantalab site, Ops underway
M L Sharma
Jammu: A portion of an under-construction bridge collapsed in the Bantalab area on Friday, resulting in the death of a labourer and leaving two others trapped under debris, officials said.
The incident occurred in the Thathar locality, where workers were engaged in construction activity when part of the structure suddenly gave way. At least four labourers were caught beneath the debris at the time of the collapse.
Rescue teams from the Police, Army, SDRF, NDRF and civil administration rushed to the site immediately and began a coordinated operation. One injured labourer was pulled out alive and shifted to a nearby hospital, while another was later found dead.
Officials said efforts are underway to locate and rescue the remaining two workers still trapped beneath the rubble. Heavy machinery, including excavators, has been deployed to speed up debris removal, even as teams continue operations under challenging conditions.
According to officials, several other workers were present near the site but escaped unhurt. The labourers were reportedly working on strengthening a section of the bridge that had suffered damage in earlier floods.
Authorities said the rescue operation is being carried out on a priority basis, with all available resources mobilised to trace the missing workers at the earliest.
