New Delhi, Sep 4: One person has been killed while many were feared trapped after a portion of the arterial Majerhat bridge in south Kolkata collapsed on Tuesday evening. Many vehicles were crushed in the incident. According to reports, the 40-year-old bridge in the crowded Alipore area caved in around 4.45 pm during rush hour over rail tracks. The injured have been admitted to SSKM and CMRI hospitals, the police said.

The Central Armed Police Force later reached the spot where part of Majerhat bridge in South Kolkata has collapsed. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter and said the collapse of a part of a bridge in Kolkata is deeply unfortunate. "My thoughts are with the families of the victims. I pray that those who are injured recover at the earliest", he said in a tweet.

While police confirmed the death of one person, fire brigade personnel engaged in the rescue work said 25 injured were pulled out from the rubble. It must be noted that the bridge runs over the Majerhat Railway Station and connects the city centre to Behala and other southern suburbs.

According to a PTI report, State minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said she has heard about the death of five persons but it is yet to be confirmed. NDRF DG Sanjay Kumar said earthmovers are being used. “We have to take into account the safety aspect while clearing the debris”, he said. Another minister Firhad Hakim said efforts are being made to find out any trapped person under the debris.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 04, 2018 07:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).