39 people killed after bridge collapses in Genoa, Italy
Anger is growing in Italy after a bridge collapsed in Genoa on Tuesday, killing 39 people. An 80 metre stretch of the Morandi bridge caved in during a heavy thunderstorm sending about 35 cars and several trucks onto the rail tracks that lay 45 metres below.
Fire crews were still pulling people out of the rubble hours after the tragedy took place with up to a dozen people believed to have been saved by local firefighters.
The country’s anger is now focused on the company that is in charge of operating and maintaining the bridge, Autostrade per l’Italia.
Transport Minister, Danilo Toninelli has called for Autostrade executives to resign and has launched an attempt to revoke the company’s contract as well as hit them with a £134 million fine.
Autostrade said in a statement that it had invested more than €1 billion a year between 2012 and 2017 in maintaining and upgrading its network and ensuring its motorways were safe. The company said the improvements were reflected in a reduction in road accident and mortality rates. A fresh round of maintenance work was due to start in October.
