Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


At Least 35 Dead in Italy Bridge Collapse

by Sabina Castelfranco

   ROME --

   At least 35 people are confirmed dead and 13 others injured after a
   highway bridge collapsed during torrential rain in the Italian port
   city of Genoa Tuesday. Hundreds of rescue workers and firefighters,
   ambulances and helicopters were deployed to the scene to rescue
   survivors and transport them to hospitals.
   The collapse of the central section of the Morandi highway bridge, also
   known to the Genoese as their Brooklyn Bridge, took place Tuesday at
   around 11:30 in the morning local time during a massive rainstorm that
   struck the northern Italian city following days of summer heat.
   A number of witnesses said the bridge was struck by lightning just
   before it crashed down from a height of 50 meters. While it was still
   early for authorities to determine a possible cause for the collapse,
   some in Genoa said that bridge, built in 1967, was in need of
   maintenance.

   The concrete bridge carrying the A10 motorway spanned an industrial
   area, a river and the Genoa-Milan railway line. The head of the civil
   defense department, Angelo Borrelli, said at least 30 vehicles were
   believed to be on the bridge when the disaster occurred. Television
   footage showed cars and trucks crushed by concrete. Screams of "Oh my
   God, Oh my God!" could be heard at the moment of the collapse.
   Hundreds of rescue workers and emergency vehicles were immediately
   dispatched to the area on both sides of the collapsed bridge to extract
   survivors from the rubble. The rain was not making the work of the
   rescuers any easier. Trains using the railway line under the bridge
   were suspended.
   The spokesman of the Italian firefighters, Luca Cari, said rescue
   workers were proceeding as they would in the case of an earthquake.
   Sniffer dogs were deployed in the search. A number of injured were
   transported to nearby hospitals, all of which had been alerted.

   Italy's prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, said he would visit Genoa later
   in the day and the transport minister, Danilo Toninelli, who described
   the incident as an "immense tragedy" said he would be there on
   Wednesday.
   Toninelli said the government was working closely with all those
   involved and a special commission had been set up to coordinate all
   efforts. He added that "we are all holding our breaths hoping that the
   victims are less than what these devastating pictures appear to be
   showing".
   Speaking from Genoa on SkyNews24, Italy's deputy transport minister
   said: "It is not acceptable that such an important bridge... was not
   built to avoid this kind of collapse."