Video: 50yr-old Italy bridge collapses, dozens killed

President Sergio Mattarella has called for a “serious and severe examination” into why the Italy bridge suddenly collapsed leaving 26 people dead.

A major section of the motorway, in Italy’s northwest, partially collapsed during a heavy storm, sending concrete tumbling toward the ground, overturning cars and trapping people in the rubble.

Fire department spokesman Emanuele Gissi said in an interview with State broadcaster RAI News 24 that several people are still missing, based on the number of vehicles on the Italy bridge when it collapsed.

“Our work will continue for days,” Gissi added as rescuers worked through the night to account for all of the victims of Tuesday’s Morandi Bridge disaster in Genoa.

The head of the Italian Civil Protection Agency, Angelo Borrelli, said about 30 vehicles and several heavy-duty trucks were on the affected section of the bridge when it gave way.

OMG. An aeral view of the tragedy in #Genoa, where a major motorway bridge has collapsed. This is appalling. #Italy
via @belcastrotw pic.twitter.com/jodF6eIUP8

— Antonello Guerrera (@antoguerrera) August 14, 2018

Images from the scene showed a mangled mass of buckled vehicles and slabs of bitumen torn up as the Italy bridge, built in the late 1960s, came tumbling down.

As authorities worked to formally identify victims, the city started two days of mourning.

The Italian and the European Union flags will fly at half-staff on municipal buildings on Wednesday and Thursday, the Mayor’s Office said.

Read the full report here.