NEW DELHI: The death toll from the Mahisagar River bridge collapse in Gujarat’s Vadodara district climbed to 19 on Friday after one of the injured victims succumbed to injuries at a hospital. Rescue operations are still underway as two people remain missing, news agency PTI reported.A section of the 40-year-old bridge, which connected Anand and Vadodara districts, collapsed near Gambhira village close to Padra town on Wednesday morning. The incident sent multiple vehicles plunging into the river.“Narendrasinh Parmar (45), a resident of Dahevan, who was among five injured persons receiving treatment at SSG Hospital, died on Friday,” an official confirmed.Vadodara Collector Anil Dhameliya said that 18 bodies had already been recovered by Thursday night. Search teams continued efforts on Friday to locate two more missing individuals.In response to the tragedy, chief minister Bhupendra Patel on Thursday suspended four engineers from the state’s Roads and Buildings Department. A preliminary report submitted by a committee appointed by the CM indicated pedestal and articulation failure as the likely cause of the collapse.“A comprehensive report will be submitted within 30 days by a high-level inquiry committee of the Roads and Buildings Department,” Patel said. He also stated that a statewide survey had identified 7,000 bridges, some of which require urgent repairs or replacement.The CM visited injured victims at SSG Hospital and assured them of full support. “Strict action has already been taken. More will follow based on the final report,” he added.Earlier, collector Dhameliya had told the media that the ongoing rescue effort was focused on retrieving the missing truck driver and a body trapped beneath a slab in the river.Six of the eight people initially reported missing were confirmed dead by Thursday.The rescue operation involves the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and local volunteers. The teams are facing challenges due to muddy terrain, soda ash leakage, and a tanker carrying sulfuric acid, which crashed into the river.“Rescue personnel are experiencing irritation and itching due to the presence of soda ash in the water,” said Dhameliya.Earlier in the day, several trucks and two-wheelers were pulled from the river.Since 2021, Gujarat has witnessed at least six major bridge collapses, raising serious concerns about infrastructure safety across the state.