Seven injured as concrete slab, beam launcher collapse during Bihar bridge work

Seven workers were injured when a concrete slab and a beam launcher collapsed at a bridge construction site in Bihar's Vaishali district on Thursday, officials said.

The incident occurred in the Lalganj area while construction work was underway on a bridge being built by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), they said.

District Magistrate Varsha Singh said the injured workers were taken to a government hospital for treatment and suffered minor injuries.

"Seven people were injured, and they were taken to a government hospital for treatment. The victims sustained minor injuries," Singh told PTI.

Officials were present at the site and the circumstances leading to the collapse were being examined, she said.

In a statement, the NHAI said the incident took place while a launcher was being shifted during construction work on NH-139W.

The agency clarified that the incident did not cause any damage to the bridge structure.

"The NHAI remains fully committed to maintaining the highest standards of quality, ensuring the safety of workers at the worksite, and completing the construction within the stipulated timeline," it said.

The NHAI added that safety standards and protocols were being "strictly reassessed" to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.