(Updates with official blaming human error, paragraphs 2, 8-9) By Inal Ersan DUBAI, Nov 8 (Reuters) - At least seven people were killed and about 15 injured on Thursday when a bridge under construction in Dubai collapsed near luxury hotels and high-rises in the Gulf trading and tourism hub. A transport official said the incident in the new part of the city, where thousands of upscale homes are being built along the Gulf coast and on man-made islands, appeared to be the result of human error during construction. A Reuters witness saw three bodies being pulled out and taken away in police vehicles. "They had orange overalls and were covered as they were carried on stretchers," she said. Deputy police chief Jamal al-Marri told Reuters that initial reports put the death toll at seven, with about 15 injured. Nine workers were rushed to hospital with serious injuries, a police officer at the site said. Dubai, one of seven emirates in the United Arab Emirates, is one of the fastest-growing cities in the world, with a building boom encompassing scores of skyscrapers, the world's tallest building and the world's largest theme park. Police and rescue workers said about 40 construction workers were on the overpass when a crane hit part of the structure, bringing it down. Matar Saeed al-Tayer, head of Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority, said the incident apparently happened when an excessive amount of steel was placed on a bridge segment during a crane movement, causing it to collapse. "(Tayer said) that this is a human mistake and the contractor bears all the responsibility," an RTA statement said. Regional company Wade Adams, the main contractor at the site, could not be reached for comment on the statement. Dubai's police chief, Dahi Khalfan Tamim, said rescue crews were on the scene within four minutes of the accident with helicopters and ambulances. Police brought sniffer dogs to search for any victims buried in the rubble. Most workers in Dubai hail from the Indian subcontinent. Two workers were killed and about 60 injured in January when fire broke out in a tower block under construction in the city. (Additional reporting by Firouz Sedarat, Fouad Juez and Ola Galal; Editing by Giles Elgood)
