Yahoo News Genoa bridge collapse: Operators face official investigation by Italian government... and threat of £135m fine
The Italian government has launched an official investigation into the operator of the collapsed Genoa bridge and given it 15 days to prove it acted properly.
The country’s ministry of transport said it wanted Autostrade per l’Italia to show it had met all its contractual obligations to ensure the proper functioning of the Morandi bridge and avoid accidents.
It added that it wanted the company to re-build the bridge at its own expense.
They say that 10 to 20 people might still be unaccounted for and the death toll is expected to rise.
Ahead of the probe being launched, Autostrade said it made regular thorough safety checks on the viaduct, part of a motorway linking Genoa with southern France. It added that it had used world-leading experts to conduct tests and inspections.
A government source separately suggested that Italy may impose a fine rather than withdraw Autostrade’s contract.
Dropping the company could involve a long legal fight and risk the government being ordered to pay compensation to it.
But under the terms of its contract it can be fined up to €150 million (£135 million).
While the disaster in Genoa was the deadliest in recent years, Italy has seen other bridge and highway collapses that have raised alarm about its ageing transport infrastructure.
Meanwhile, excavators began clearing large sections of rubble in the continuing search for victims.
A large vertical section was removed, clearing a new area to probe. Workers have spent the last few days tunnelling through tons of jagged steel, concrete and crushed vehicles that plunged nearly 150 feet to the road below.
Recordings of emergency calls of the moment witnesses reported the bridge had collapsed have also emerged.
They can be heard making panicked calls about the incident, before one responder replies: “What do you mean, it’s collapsed?”
The first picture has emerged of the supermarket delivery driver who stopped just yards from the edge of the collapsed bridge.
Father of four Luigi Fiorillo, 37, had a “miracle” escape when he slammed on the brakes of his lorry as the road crumbled before his eyes.
Every other vehicle ahead of him plunged off the bridge, and he said: “I stared death in the face... I saved myself by a miracle.”
Funerals for some victims were due to be held later today, with a state funeral in Genoa tomorrow to be conducted by Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco.
