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Death toll of Italy bridge collapse rises to 37

A motorway bridge near Genoa, Italy, collapsed on August 14

MOSCOW, August 15. /TASS/. The death toll in Tuesday’s bridge collapse in the Italian city of Genoa has reached 37, the Genoa prefecture’s website informed.

According to the statement, 12 out of 16 injured currently in hospitals are in a serious condition. There are three children among the dead - 8, 12 and 13 years old. About 440 people have been evacuated from their homes due to the threat of further destruction of the bridge.

The company effecting maintenance of the bridge may face a fine up to €150 mln, Italian Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Danilo Toninelli stated on Wednesday on his Facebook page.

"The management of the Autostrade per l’Italia company must resign immediately. Taking into account that there have been serious violations, I would like to state that we have started the procedure of terminating cooperation and introducing a fine up to €150 mln," the minister said. "If they cannot manage our motorways, the government will do it."

The minister also noted that the government would carry out a large-scale check of all obsolete road facilities, many of which "were built in the years 60s and 70s of the last century." He stressed that "in a civilized country, it is impossible to be killed because of a bridge collapsing," and that everyone responsible for the tragedy will be punished.

A bridge near Genoa, built on the A10 motorway, collapsed on Tuesday morning. According to Rai News 24 television channel, there were 35 personal cars and 3 trucks on the bridge when it collapsed. A rescue operation continues. The Italian officials have declared a two-day mourning period in Genoa.

Images and video footage from the site showed flattened cars under concrete wreckage. The collapsed section mostly fell onto rail tracks below, but debris also hit nearby houses.