The tragic incident at Gujarat’s Morbi City, retold by several eyewitnesses, sheds light on gory details and heroic accounts of people clinging to their last glimpse of hope, while several broke down recounting tales of horror.
It was just another day for a tea-seller, who had set his stall overlooking the structure, before the newly renovated 140-year-old bridge collapsed in front of him. Narrating the incident, he said that the whole event transpired within a few seconds with several holding on to the bridge even as their grip loosened and they fell into the river. Looking at a pregnant woman die in front of his eyes has left him “shattered,” reported ANI. The man couldn’t control his tears after witnessing several people breathed their last despite his efforts to take people to the hospital, reported ANI.
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Recounting another incident, the man told ANI that he felt momentary relief after he and a group of locals rescued a small girl. “I have never seen anything like this…She spat out a lot of water and we were really happy that she would survive, however she soon took her last breath in front of me as we rushed her to the hospital. I was shaken,” the man was quoted as telling ANI.
Another eyewitness Hasina Bhen told ANI that both her sons were helping the injured reach hospital without any break since the time the incident happened. Hasina’s eyes swelled up with tears as she recounted carrying children and rushing them to the hospital, only to realise later that they were long gone, reported ANI. Many passers-by stood by the spot helplessly as they witnessed several people fall into the river and drown in front of them, reported ANI.
As the death toll mounted to 133, state Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi said that a special team has been constituted to investigate the incident while a criminal case has been filed.