Cuttack: Five labourers were injured in an accident during the construction of a bridge over the Kathajodi River this evening. Three of them died at the SCB Medical College and Hospital.

The unfortunate incident occurred when a concrete slab unexpectedly collapsed from the cranes, falling on the workers at the Khannagar site.

Two of the other injured workers are still in critical condition. 

With the help of locals, all five were admitted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack for treatment. Doctors declared three of them declared dead.

The deceased workers have been identified as Soumya Ranjan Behera, Sibasankar Patnaik and Subhas Chandra Bhakta. The critically injured are Arun Barik and Bikala Jena.

Per latest reports, Fire Services personnel reached the mishap site and conducted the search and rescue operations.

A Fire official said from the media the personnel came to know about the mishap. After the operations, it was found no one else has been trapped under the slab apart from those five, the official added.

Cuttack Municipal Corporation Mayor Subas Singh said a high-level probe must be conducted into the mishap and strict action should be taken. “Had there been safety measures, the mishap would not have occurred,” Singh added.

Expressing sorrow over the deaths of workers, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced ex-gratia of ₹5 lakh each to families of the deceased. 

The Chief Minister ordered for a probe into the slab collapse mishap. He also announced the State Goevrnment will bear the medical expenses of the injured.

Announcing the Government's decision to launch an investigation into the mishap, Works Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan stated a three-member committee will probe it. The report will be submitted to the Goevrnment within 15 days and stringent action will be taken thereafter, he added.