Three workers died in the collapse of a Bailey bridge that was being installed over the Hewa River along the Mechi Highway in Panchthar district.

According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Kaushal Kumar Budhathoki, the deceased have been identified as 22-year-old Rupalal Chaudhary, 27-year-old Rajan Chaudhary, and 22-year-old Prakash Chaudhary, all from Simara Sub-metropolitan City in Bara district.

The incident occurred around 6pm on Saturday when the single-span modular bridge—being installed between ward 4 of Phidim Municipality and ward 7 of Hilihang Rural Municipality—collapsed shortly after one end was placed. All three men succumbed to their injuries during treatment at Nobel Medical College in Biratnagar, DSP Budhathoki said.

The injured are 25-year-old Bhuleshwar Chaudhary, 35-year-old Prakash Chaudhary, and 30-year-old Abhishek Chaudhary, all from Simara.

Floods swept away the original concrete bridge over the river on June 17, 2023. A Bailey bridge installed as a temporary alternative was also washed away in another flood on September 28, 2024. The federal government, through the Road Division Office in Ilam, awarded a contract to Dovan Super Saugat Light Builders JV to construct a new bridge.

The new structure, touted as Nepal’s longest Bailey bridge at 70 metres, was nearing completion. Authorities have allocated Rs34.93 million on the project.

Following the collapse, concerns have grown about transportation disruptions during the monsoon. Currently, a diversion using hume pipes facilitates traffic across the river, but it becomes impassable during heavy rainfall, raising the risk of complete disconnection between Phidim and Taplejung, as well as Panchthar’s Hilihang, Yangwarak, and Phalelung areas.