Overpass collapses in Pakistan, 2 dead

Karachi, Sept 1: An overpass collapsed in the Pakistani city of Karachi today tipping cars onto a street below, crushing other vehicles underneath and killing at least two people, police and rescue officials said.

Television pictures showed at least two cars and a cart crushed under the huge slab of concrete and there were fears more dead could be under the collapsed bridge.

''We can see some vehicles under the rubble but it's difficult to say how many people are trapped,'' said Karachi police chief Azhar Farooqi.

''A trailer, a tanker and a police van came down with the bridge and fell on vehicles on the road below,'' he said.

It was not immediately clear what caused the collapse of the overpass in the outskirts of the city. The overpass was only opened two months ago, Dawn Television said.

Rescue workers brought in heavy lifting equipment and crowds of onlookers gathered near the scene where huge parts of the flyover hung precariously over the road.

Many bypasses and flyovers have been built in Pakistan's biggest city in recent years in an attempt to ease traffic gridlock.

Reuters
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