Italy's Deputy Transport Minister Says Collapsed Genoa Bridge Should Be Demolished

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2018) Italian Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Edoardo Rixi said Tuesday that the collapsed motorway bridge in the northern Italian city of Genoa should be completely demolished.

A large section of the Morandi Bridge collapsed at about 11 a.m. local time (09:00 GMT) on the warehouses and railway tracks beneath. Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said death toll of the incident stood at 22 people with another 16 injured. Earlier, local media reported as many as 35 people killed in the incident.

"The entire Morandi Bridge must be destroyed, which will lead to serious consequences for movement and problems for citizens and companies," he said during a meeting at the Civil Defense Service in Genoa.

He also expressed hope that the detour road would be ready by October.

"Such a bridge does not collapse because of lightning, or because of a thunderstorm. Those guilty must be found," the deputy minister said.

Rescuers working at the scene earlier told Italian journalists that there was a danger of collapse of the remaining parts of the bridge, which caused the evacuation of residents of nearby houses.