30 dead in Italy bridge collapse

GENOA: At least 30 people were killed yesterday when a giant motorway bridge collapsed in Genoa, with several more feared dead in what Italy’s transport minister described as an “immense tragedy”, reports AFP.

The collapse, which saw a vast stretch of the A10 freeway tumble on to railway lines in the northern port city, was the deadliest bridge failure in Italy for years, and the country’s deputy transport minister warned the death toll could climb further.

“Unfortunately I can confirm that 30 are dead, and it’s a number that’s likely to rise,” Edoardo Rixi told Italian television. Rescuers scouring through the wreckage, strewn among shrubland and train tracks, said there were “tens of victims”, while images from the scene showed an entire carriageway plunged to the ground.

Cars and trucks were trapped in the rubble and nearby buildings damaged by vast chunks of concrete, according to an AFP photographer at the scene.

Italian media reported that 200 metres (650 feet) of the “Morandi” bridge had fallen away.

The Italian fire service said that the viaduct, located in an industrial area in the west of the city, collapsed at around noon (1000 GMT). “I’m following with the utmost apprehension what is happening in Genoa and what looks like it could be an immense tragedy,” transport and infrastructure minister Danilo Toninelli said on Twitter.

Italy’s far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said he was following events in Genoa “up to the minute” and thanked the emergency services for their swift response.

A fire service spokesperson told AFP that the bridge had mostly fallen on rail tracks 100 metres below and that “cars and trucks” had fallen with the rubble.

“Firefighters are working together and teams of rescuers and police sniffer dogs have been mobilised,” emergency services said on Twitter.

 

30 dead in Italy bridge collapse

GENOA: At least 30 people were killed yesterday when a giant motorway bridge collapsed in Genoa, with several more feared dead in what Italys transport minister described as an immense tragedy, reports AFP. The collapse, which saw a vast stretch of the A10 freeway tumble on to railway lines in the northern port city, was the deadliest bridge failure in Italy for years, and the countrys deputy transport minister warned the death toll could climb further. Unfortunately I can confirm that 30 are dead, and its a number thats likely to rise, Edoardo Rixi told Italian television. Rescuers scouring through the wreckage, strewn among shrubland and train tracks, said there were tens of victims, while images from the scene showed an entire carriageway plunged to the ground. Cars and trucks were trapped in the rubble and nearby buildings damaged by vast chunks of concrete, according to an AFP photographer at the scene. Italian media reported that 200 metres (650 feet) of the Morandi bridge had fallen away. The Italian fire service said that the viaduct, located in an industrial area in the west of the city, collapsed at around noon (1000 GMT). Im following with the utmost apprehension what is happening in Genoa and what looks like it could be an immense tragedy, transport and infrastructure minister Danilo Toninelli said on Twitter. Italys far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said he was following events in Genoa up to the minute and thanked the emergency services for their swift response. A fire service spokesperson told AFP that the bridge had mostly fallen on rail tracks 100 metres below and that cars and trucks had fallen with the rubble. Firefighters are working together and teams of rescuers and police sniffer dogs have been mobilised, emergency services said on Twitter.