The crane was being used for the construction of a bridge on the highway when the incident took place. Two teams of the National Disaster Response Force were deployed soon after the accident for rescue operations.
At least 17 workers were crushed to death and three others injured early Tuesday after a crane collapsed on a bridge slab during the construction of the third phase of the Samruddhi Expressway in Maharashtra’s Thane district.
According to officials, the accident took place around 12 am near Sarlambe village under the Shahapur tehsil, around 80 km from Mumbai. The equipment that collapsed was a special-purpose mobile gantry crane used in bridge construction and to install precast box girders in highway construction projects, they said.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said an inquiry has been ordered into the Shahapur accident.
Pained by the tragic mishap in Shahapur, Maharashtra. My deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who are injured. NDRF and local administration are working at the site of the mishap and all possible measures are…
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 1, 2023
“The deaths of the workers are very sad and heart-wrenching. I pay my heartfelt tribute to them and we share in the grief of their families. Three workers were injured in the accident. They are undergoing treatment in a hospital. I pray to God for their speedy recovery,” Fadnavis said.
JUST IN | The crane was being used for the construction of a bridge on the highway when the incident took place#Maharashtra #Thane https://t.co/kaXvwnAipS
— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) August 1, 2023
Soon after the accident, teams of the police, fire brigade, and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were deployed for rescue operations. The three injured workers have been rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.