AHMEDABAD: The desperate search for the two remaining victims in the catastrophic bridge collapse near Mujpur-Gambhira in Padra taluka entered its final stage on Friday, with 18 bodies recovered so far amid harrowing working conditions and severe risks.
On-site, Vadodara Collector Anil Dhamelia confirmed that rescue teams are continuing operations under extreme caution due to the presence of a tanker carrying 98 per cent concentrated sulphuric acid submerged in the river.
This looming chemical hazard, coupled with widespread soda ash spillage in the water causing severe skin irritation, has severely hampered rescue efforts.
Despite these dangers, teams have pressed on. Operations paused around 10:00 p.m. last night after water levels rose, by which time 18 bodies had been recovered.
Authorities reported that initially, seven individuals were declared missing, a number which rose to eight the following morning after an updated list surfaced. Of these, 12 bodies were found on the first day and six more were recovered yesterday, leaving two still unaccounted for.
Work today is laser-focused on locating the final two victims. Most vehicles submerged have been accounted for, primarily motorbikes, and their riders have largely been identified, reducing the likelihood of further undiscovered bodies or vehicles.
Once the last two bodies are found, the operation will shift to the demolition of the bridge’s remaining slab, allowing officials to recover all remaining debris and property from beneath the collapse.
Simultaneously, efforts will begin to neutralise the sulphuric acid threat in the river, a critical step to prevent an environmental disaster.
Collector Dhamelia also revealed that preliminary identification of one of the two remaining bodies has begun, and processing is underway. A puller mechanism will be used to extract a trapped truck as the bridge slab is dismantled, completing the final recovery operation.
As the sun sets on this grim episode, the district administration is racing against both time and toxic peril, determined to bring closure to the families waiting in hope and grief.