A section of an under-construction bridge collapsed in northwest China on Friday, leaving 12 people dead and four missing, according to state media.

Bridge Details: The collapsed bridge is part of the Sichuan-Qinghai Railway and is notable for being the world's largest-span double-track continuous steel truss arch bridge. It's also China's first railway steel truss arch bridge spanning the Yellow River, the country's second-longest river.

Incident Cause: A steel cable failure led to the collapse, according to state news agency Xinhua.

Casualties: Initially, reports indicated 6 deaths, but state TV later reported 12 fatalities. Other sources mention varying death tolls, including 10 deaths and 4 missing persons. The discrepancies might be due to updates in the rescue operations.

Rescue Efforts: Hundreds of rescue workers, including 806 personnel, 91 rescue vehicles, 27 boats, a helicopter, and five robots, were deployed to aid in the search and rescue operation. Six hospitals in the region were prepared to treat victims.
Investigation: The incident is under investigation, and the Chinese government has emphasized industrial safety in response to such accidents.

Footage aired by state broadcaster CCTV captured the dramatic moment when the middle section of the bridge’s arch gave way, crashing into the Yellow River below.

According to state news agency Xinhua, failure of a steel cable resulted in the collapse.