At least three people were killed when a steel bailey bridge collapsed with a stone-carrying truck into the canal underneath at Kutukchhari under Kotwali police station of Rangamati district Tuesday morning.

Road communications between Rangamati and Khagrachhari remained suspended since the accident.

The deceased are – Arafat, the truck driver, Bachhu, Arafat’s assistant, and Jahirul, who was on the truck, said Kotwali station officer-in-charge Kabir Hossain.

Kabir told New Age that the accident occurred at about 6:30am.

When the truck on Chattogram-Khagrachhari route got on the bridge it immediately collapsed and fell into the canal, he said.

He also said that three died on the spot and their bodies were on the way to Rangamati General Hospital.

‘Vehicular movement between Rangamati and Khagrachhari snapped following the accident,’ Kabir continued.

He added that repairing work on the bridge would begin once the truck is recovered from the canal.

Earlier on December 26, eight people were injured when a bailey bridge collapsed with two goods-carrying trucks and a passenger vehicle into the canal underneath at Boakhali in Dighinala upazila of Khagrachhari.