3 killed as Bailey bridge collapses with truck

Three people were killed as a stone-laden truck fell into the Boro Mohapurom river in Rangamati after a Bailey bridge over Rangamati-Khagrachhari road collapsed early yesterday.

The accident led to a suspension of road communications between Rangamati and Khagrachhari and Rangamati town and Naniarchar upazila.

The dead are: truck driver Md Arafat, 30, of Chakaria upazila in Cox's Bazar, Muhammad Johirul Islam, 35, of Dinajpur and Muhammad Bachchu, 28.

Police said quoting witnesses that the bridge collapsed around 6:30am when the Khagrachhari-bound truck from Chattogram was crossing the bridge in Kutukchhari of Rangamati Sadar upazila.

Hearing a big bang, locals rushed to the area and found the truck sinking in the water under the collapsed bridge.

Muhammad Nurul Islam, officer-in-charge (investigation) of Rangamati Kotwali Police Station, said the three died on the spot. The bodies were handed to the victims' families after autopsies were carried out on them at Rangamati General Hospital.

Rangamati Fire Service Assistant Director Ratan Kumar Nath said he, along with a team of firefighters, rushed to the spot after receiving information about the accident. Divers of Fire Service recovered the bodies. Members of Bangladesh Army and some locals also joined the rescue operation, he added.

Fire Service officials said they would resume the rescue operation today to salvage the sunken truck.

Muhammad Shahe Arefin, executive engineer of Rangamati Roads and Highways Department (RHD), said the 64-metre long Bailey bridge, built in 1982, could not withstand the weight of the stone-laden truck.

"We have visited the spot. We will start the repair work soon. I think we will be able to complete the repair work in two weeks," he said.

AKM Mamunur Rashid, deputy commissioner of Rangamati, said he visited the spot after the accident and asked the RHD officials to take immediate steps to repair the bridge as soon as possible.