Huge 850ft road bridge collapses in Italy – but just two drivers are injured with the river crossing virtually empty amid Covid-19 lockdown
- The 850ft bridge collapsed this morning near the town of Aulla, near Florence
- Italy’s lockdown has cut traffic across the country, including on the bridge road
- Two drivers have been taken to a nearby hospital after sustaining minor injuries
A bridge on a normally busy road in northern Italy collapsed on Wednesday but only two drivers were caught up in the chaos, the fire brigade said, as the coronavirus lockdown has largely halted traffic.
A spokesman for the fire brigade said the 850ft bridge near the town of Aulla, roughly midway between Genoa and Florence, in the northern tip of Tuscany, collapsed at 10.25am (0825 GMT).
The lockdown imposed by the government to cope with the coronavirus emergency has cut traffic in the whole country, including on the road, known as the SS330.
A collapsed bridge is seen on SP70 provincial roadway near Aulla, in Tuscany, Italy today
A handout photo made available by the Italian Carabinieri Press Office shows the collapsed bridge on a provincial road between Santo Stefan Magra and Alibano in Massa-Carrara province, Tuscany, Italy today
A handout photo made available by the Italian Carabinieri Press Office shows the collapsed bridge on a provincial road between Santo Stefan Magra and Alibano in Massa-Carrara province, Tuscany, Italy, today
A team of the fire brigade were still on site, the spokesman added.
Two drivers were taken to hospital with minor injuries, he added.
The bridge was previously managed by provincial authorities and was then put under the management of ANAS, a company controlled by state-owned railway group Ferrovie dello Stato.
Transport Minister Paola De Micheli said that she had requested ANAS provide a detailed report.
Forty-three people were killed in August 2018 when a when a viaduct in the port town of Genoa and operated by infrastructure group Atlantia gave way.
A handout photo made available by the Italian Carabinieri Press Office shows the collapsed bridge on a provincial road between Santo Stefan Magra and Alibano in Massa-Carrara province, Tuscany, Italy, today