Girders of an under-construction flyover in the Bhara Kahu area of Islamabad collapsed on Thursday, less than a week after the bridge’s shuttering came apart leaving two labourers dead and three injured.
Islamabad police confirmed the incident in a tweet, adding that there were no injuries or casualties.
“The girders of an under-construction bridge have collapsed,” read a tweet by Islamabad Police.
It further said rescue and police personnel were on the site to ensure smooth traffic flow.
Unverified CCTV footage making the rounds on social media showed the massive concrete girders of the flyover tipping over, hitting another one before eventually caving in entirely, barely missing a pedestrian.
Capital Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Noorul Amin Mengal ordered an inquiry into the incident, state-run APP reported.
Speaking to reporters at the site, Amin said that the accident occurred due to a “crane slipping”. “The safety and health of the labourers cannot be compromised at any cost,” he added.
The IG Islamabad was also on site.
Second collapse in a week
On Feb 25, a pillar of the same bridge had fallen and killed two men, while injuring three others.
Talking to Dawn at the time, officials of the police and administration said it would be difficult for them to explain the cause of the incident as it required some technical expertise.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had taken the notice of the incident and sought a report from the CDA chairman.
Commissioner Islamabad Noorul Amin Mengal, who is also chairman of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), ordered an inquiry and constituted an eight-member committee at the time.
Mengal had claimed that during a preliminary investigation, it was revealed that there was a movement of two to three heavy trailers in early morning which hit the under-construction flyover.
The committee, under the supervision of the deputy commissioner, was constituted to investigate the incident and fix responsibility, the chief commissioner said, adding that legal action would be taken against those found responsible for the incident.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on September 30 had laid the foundation of the Bhara Kahu bypass and directed the National Logistics Cell (NLC) to complete the project within three months instead of four as mentioned in PC-I.