A bridge collapsed in India while being demolished, sending an earthmover straight into the deep water. Fortunately, the driver of the vehicle managed to get out on time and run to safety.

Based on the footage taken in the Muzaffarnagar district of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, the excavator was carrying out demolition work on the visibly wobbly bridge over the Ganga Canal when the mishap took place.

As one can see in the video, part of the bridge collapses as the excavator strikes it. However, it quickly sets off a domino effect, bringing the whole structure down in a matter of seconds. As the bridge comes crashing down amid enormous splashes of water, the vehicle also plunges into the canal and ends up in an upside-down position.

The driver was able to make it out alive from the hairy situation and reached safety by running through the waters. He was rescued by the police with the help of the locals, NDTV reported.

The bridge was at least 100 years old, according to the outlet. The demolition work was being done as part of a project aimed at widening the Panipat-Khatima Highway located along the canal, India Today reported.

The footage of the incident has since made rounds online, sparking a discussion on the competence of local workers. Some netizens have even claimed that a wrong method was employed in the demolition job and called out the earthmover's operator, noting that the worker "needs training."

In 2018, an old silo collapsed the wrong way while being torn down in Denmark, damaging a nearby cultural center and a library. The tower, which was 176 feet tall and stood close to the town's harbor for 36 years, was being demolished using 15 pounds of explosives to make way for new houses and establishments. Although no injuries were reported in the incident, it left damage on adjacent structures, including a portion of the Kulturarkaden center, which featured a library, an archive and a music school. Some of the offices were also damaged, but the building was eventually found to be structurally safe.

Excavator
Representative image of an excavator Pixabay/Gianni Crestani