'Apocalyptic Scene' on a Genoa Bridge

A witness described an "apocalyptic scene" Tuesday in Genoa, Italy, where a 250-foot section of the Morandi Bridge on the A10 highway collapsed in a fierce storm, reports the AP. Mayor Marco Bucci says at least 25 people have been confirmed dead. The bridge is 300 feet high, and some 20 cars and trucks were said to have fallen; two people have been pulled alive from their vehicles, and ANSA cites police sources who say some trucks fell into the Polcevera River. The Guardian notes the A10 links Italy and France and is a popular route for vacation-goers.

"As this reinforced and prestressed concrete bridge has been there for 50 years, it is possible that corrosion of tendons or reinforcement may be a contributory factor," says Ian Firth, former president of the Institution of Structural Engineers. Witnesses described the aftermath: “I saw people running towards me, barefoot and terrified," says a bus driver. "I heard a roar. People ran away coming towards me. It was horrible.” (More bridge collapse stories.)