The Himalayan region is one of the most treacherous places on earth, with many roads remaining difficult to navigate because of extreme weather conditions.
Despite that, highway authorities tend to work around the clock to ensure the roads and bridges remain in good condition, especially during summer when the sky remains clear and vehicular traffic is at its peak.
But certain incidents still occur. This time, it was a loaded truck that was passing through an iron bridge. The driver had nearly made it to the other end when the bridge gave way, collapsing entirely into the Sutlej River below.
Footage of the incident went viral on social media, and remarkably, the truck driver suffered only minor injuries.
Bridge Underwent Maintenance on June 5
Hindustan Times reported that the incident occurred near Urni Dhank between Reckong Peo and Tapri on National Highway 5 (Old Hindustan-Tibet Road) in India.
The 10-wheeled dump truck loaded with sand was crossing the 190-foot bridge when it collapsed. The route connects the Kinnaur region with Lahaul and Spiti in the Himalayas.
Fortunately, the dump truck driver survived and was taken to a hospital after being rescued. The incident led to traffic disruptions in the region, and authorities had to divert vehicles through other routes.
Executive Engineer of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Rampur Division, K L Suman, said the bridge underwent routine maintenance and was being monitored regularly.
He confirmed that repairs had been carried out on the bridge on June 5. Now, a team comprising technical experts and police personnel is investigating the incident.
Suman stated that the bridge is capable of carrying loads of up to 28 tonnes and that the dump truck may have weighed more than the set limit.
The route that goes through the bridge was created in 2016 because the older route was affected by frequent landslides and falling rocks from the surrounding mountains.
Footage Showed the Truck Driver Waiting for Another Truck to Pass
The video shared on X shows the dump truck driver waiting for the truck ahead to cross first, as only one vehicle is typically allowed on a Bailey bridge at a time.
Bridge collapse in Kinnaur today.
Wait for the yellow truck to start crossing, just, falls like a house of cards.
Driver is ok. Apparently bridge had received some repair / maintenance work sometime back as well.#HimachalPradesh #kinnaur pic.twitter.com/NdgUKP2ggV
— Sidharth Shukla (@sidhshuk) June 23, 2026
After the first truck had passed, the dump truck began its journey across the bridge, which then gave way after a few seconds. Luckily for the driver, the Sutlej River was not flowing with force, otherwise, he and his dump truck could have been swept away.
Footage also highlights how a car waited for its turn while the dump truck was on the bridge. Had the driver acted in haste, the car could have met a similar fate.
Another video shared by an Instagram user shows the same bridge up close, highlighting its narrow space, just enough for one truck to pass through, suggesting it was designed to accommodate only a single vehicle at a time. Notably, the video was recorded a week before the bridge collapsed.
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