A section of a bridge under construction on the main Karbala-Baghdad road in southern Iraq collapsed late Saturday, killing two people and injuring several others. Rescue workers toiled for more than 13 hours to free those trapped under the twisted wreckage. Karbala’s civil defense agency confirmed that seven people were rescued and two bodies were recovered.
Safety Concerns Amid a Construction Boom
The collapse occurred while several vehicles were passing underneath the structure. While Iraq is undergoing a surge in infrastructure projects as it regains stability, the article notes that safety standards are often neglected in the country’s construction sector. This has led to multiple accidents and fires, including a recent incident in July where a fire in a shopping mall in the city of Kut claimed more than 60 lives.
