FARIDABAD, HARYANA — A horrific construction disaster on Thursday afternoon, June 4, 2026 left at least three laborers dead and another critically injured after a massive gantry crane collapsed at a Jewar Expressway flyover project site near Panhera Khurd village.

The catastrophic failure occurred during a sudden bout of severe weather, trapping multiple workers inside a makeshift shelter beneath tons of twisted metal.

The fatal incident took place between 1:30 PM and 2:00 PM local time along the greenfield connectivity route designed to link South Delhi, Gurugram, and Faridabad to the upcoming Jewar International Airport.

According to regional officials, the area had been hit by a heavy downpour and severe storm conditions shortly before the crash. The massive gantry crane, which was being operated by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to lift heavy concrete blocks and bridge spans, reportedly lost its balance on the rain-slicked, muddy ground.

"During the storm, the crane overturned," reported Sunil Kumar, an eyewitness at the construction site. "It lost balance and crashed straight down onto the container box below."

The crane slammed directly into a shipping container that site contractors and laborers were utilizing as a temporary rest area and field office during the inclement weather.

Local police received emergency alerts around 3:00 PM, prompting an immediate mobilization of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), firefighters, and local police units equipped with industrial cutting tools.

Emergency teams faced an incredibly challenging environment as they worked to slice through the reinforced steel of the crushed shipping container while under the weight of a crane weighing several tons.

"We have successfully rescued one individual alive, though injured," stated Pratik Agrawal, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) for Ballabhgarh, Faridabad. The surviving worker, whose legs had been severely crushed in the impact, was rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency surgery.

SDRF teams subsequently recovered three bodies from the wreckage. By late Thursday evening, rescue teams were still on high alert as fears persisted that additional workers might still be trapped in the flattened structure. Faridabad Police Public Relations Officer Yashpal Yadav noted that initial site manifests suggested five to six laborers may have been resting inside the container when the crane fell.

The NHAI has initiated a formal inquiry into the mechanical stability of the gantry setup and the decisions surrounding operations during active weather hazards. Local advocacy groups and regional authorities are calling for a thorough assessment of infrastructure safety compliance across the high-stakes transit development zone.