Chittagong, Nov 25 (bdnews24.com)—At least nine people died as three girders of the under-construction Bahaddarhat flyover collapsed in the port city on Saturday evening.
Over 50 others sustained varying degrees of injuries with the condition of many of them was stated critical.
Locals said the girders between the number 12 and 13 pillars at the Bahaddar Barhi near the city's Shah Amanat Bridge connecting road cave in around 7:30pm.
Around 3:40am on Sunday, Chittagong Metropolitan Police's (North) Additional Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Shahidullah told bdnews24.com that divers of the fire service pulled four more bodies from under the debris of one of the girders that fell on the nearby pond.
Earlier, Deputy Commissioner of Chittagong Abdul Mannan on Saturday night said three of them died at the accident site while officials deputed at the Chittagong Medical College Hospital police camp said two more perished during treatment.
Three of the deceased were identified as – 'Sazzad', 20, 'Shahabuddin' and Kajal Chandra Dey, whose age could not be immediately known.
DC Mannan told bdnews24.com at around 10:30pm Saturday: "The rescue operation is underway. Treatment of the injured has also been ensured."
Border Guard Bangladesh personnel were also called out for the rescue operation, which began around 9:30pm, along with Rapid Action Battalion, Bangladesh Army and police personnel.
Earlier, CMCH police camp's Nayek Abdur Rahman told bdnews24.com that at least 10 of the injured were admitted to the hospital.
bdnews24.com Senior Correspondent Mintu Chowdhury and Correspondent Uttam Sengupta reporting from the spot said they heard screams of the people trapped under the debris right after the accident.
They said the angry people demonstrated and set ablaze the flyover-construction materials right after the incident protesting the delay in the rescue operations.
DC Mannan had urged the agitated people to calm down after arriving at the scene around 8:45pm. "We have informed the army. I hope the rescue operation will begin soon."
The police also fired several rounds of tear shells as the people started demonstrating again in front of the New Chandgaon Police Station and at the Bahaddarhat intersection around 9:20pm.
They also vandalised several vehicles including the DC's car, a fire service vehicle, the jeep of the Additional Commissioner of Police (Revenue) and an ambulance at that time.
At least 10 motorcycles, including the one of bdnews24.com correspondent Mintu, were also set on fire.
On June 29 of this year, a rickshaw-puller had been injured after a girder from the flyover collapsed.
The 1.4 km long flyover's construction had begun in December 2010, under supervision of the Chittagong Development Authority. Two firms – Parisha Enterprise and Meer Akter Enterprise – were building the flyover at an estimated cost of Tk 1.06 billion.
Wall collapse injures 12
Another disaster struck close by when at least 12 people were injured as a wall of a mosque beside the area of the mishap collapsed.
bdnews24.com's Mintu Chowdhury, who was at the site, said the wall of the Bahaddar Barhi Mosque collapsed around 10pm as at least 500 people gathered there and climbed on the nearly 30-feet wall.
He said the wall collapsed under the sheer weight of so many people.
The rescue team, drawn from the police, BGB and Army, pulled them out of the rubble and sent them to CMCH.
The rescue officials had asked to move away, but they did not listen because they were waiting to watch the rescue of many trapped under the debris of the girders.
Trapped
Shah Haji Mohammad Bokhtiar, owner of the Shah Amanat Decorators, situated right beside the under-construction flyover, told bdnews24.com: "I saw three girders collapsing one after another. It appeared to me that at least 60-70 people are still trapped under the debris."
Local people said that a large number of people generally walk underneath the flyover in the afternoon every day. Most of them are garment workers, while hawkers sit there with their goods, they added.
They suspect most of them were trapped under the debris.
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