Kerala News: Temporary bridge built for Christmas celebrations collapses, many injured

Thiruvananthapuram: A temporary bridge built as part of Christmas celebrations at Poovar near Neyyattinkara here collapsed, injuring several people, police said. A senior district official said 7-8 people were injured in the incident, one of whom – a woman – suffered a major leg fracture. “The rest suffered only minor injuries,” he said. The official said the incident occurred around 9 pm on Monday night when several people climbed onto the bridge, which could not bear their weight and tilted to one side, causing bystanders to fall. The temporary bridge was installed to allow people to cross a wall to the other side to view a Christmas scene depicting a waterfall and the birth of Jesus as well as other decorations as part of Christmas celebrations, the official said. The bridge was about five feet above the ground and was built for a few people at a time, he said. “However, several people climbed on it together which resulted in the accident,” the officer said. He said that the injured have been admitted to nearby hospitals.