SHANGLA: A suspension bridge collapsed in Ranyal area here on Friday, killing eight people, including four children.

The deaths occurred after the bridge’s ropes snapped throwing the pick-up van used by the deceased into the Khan Khwar River below.

Five passengers were injured in the incident.

Local police official Hussain Ahmad said the passengers were returning to Shahtoot area of Ranyal from Bisham Bazaar after Eid shopping.

He said 21 people rode the vehicle but two women and six children got off ahead of the bridge after the driver warned the vehicle was overcrowded.

The official said first the bridge’s ropes snapped and then it collapsed after the driver put the vehicle to it.

The official said the incident killing four passengers instantly and injuring nine, who were taken to the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Bisham, where four succumbed to critical injuries.

He said four others were later shifted to the Saidu Teaching Hospital Mingora due to critical condition.

The police later handed over the bodies to the families after fulfilling formalities.

ONE KILLED: A man was killed and his two brothers suffered injuries when a mini jeep fell into a deep gorge in Malsar area of Koz Kana here on Friday.

The jeep was bound for Mal Sar area from Koz Kana area. The local residents pulled the body and the injured from the gorge and shifted them to the Karora rural health centre.

They were later sent to the Alpuri district headquarters hospital.

Published in Dawn, June 17th, 2017