ITALY: BRIDGE COLLAPSES ON APPIAN WAY

Record ID: 216649

  • Title: ITALY: BRIDGE COLLAPSES ON APPIAN WAY
  • Date: 18th January 1967
  • Summary: BRIDGE AND COLLAPSED SECTION; OFFICIALS AT BARRIER; CROWD; WRECKAGE OF CARS; MINISTER AT SCENE; CROWD ON BRIDGE. Initials GHB/V/RM/K Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 2nd February 1967 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ARICCIA, ITALY
  • Country: Italy
  • Reuters ID: LVAEBYR25JFAMYIED82NVS7PS7YU
  • Story Text: TWO CAR DRIVERS PLUNGED 200 FEET (60 METRES) TO THEIR DEATH EARLY TODAY (WEDNESDAY) WHEN A SECTION OF THE CENTURY-OLD PONTE DELL 'ARICCIA BRIDGE COLLAPSED ON THE APPIAN WAY SOUTH OF ROME. A THIRD CAR SCREECHED TO A HALT WITHIN FEET OF THE YAWNING CHASM, AND THE DRIVER RAISED THE ALARM.

    THE ITALIAN INTERIOR MINISTER, PAOLO TAVIANI, SUPERVISED RESCUE OPERATIONS FOR MORE POSSIBLE VICTIMS. RESCUE WORKERS AND FIREMEN FACED DANGER FROM FALLING MASONRY AS THEY PICKED THEIR WAY AMONG THE RUBBLE WHICH HAD FALLEN INTO THE DRY RIVER BED. WATER FROM BURST MAINS ON THE BRIDGE CASCADED DOWN UPON THEM.

    THE IMMEDIATE SEARCH WAS POSTPONED UNTIL DAYBREAK AFTER A TRAFFIC POLICEMEN WAS INJURED TRYING TO DODGE FALLING RUBBLE.

    POLICE RULED OUT SABOTAGE, THOUGH LOCAL INHABITANTS WERE WAKENED BY WHAT THEY THOUGHT WERE EXPLOSIONS - PROBABLY FALLING MASONRY.

    BUILT IN THE MID-19TH CENTURY AND REBUILT IN 1947 TO THE ORIGINAL DESIGN, THE 341 FEET (102 METRE) LONG BRIDGE IS ONE OF FOUR VIADUCTS STRADDLING THE DRY BED OF THE VALLE ARICCIA. IT CARRIES THE MAIN ROAD FROM ALBANO TO ARICCIA.

    THE BRIDGE WAS PARTIALLY BLOWN UP BY RETREATING GERMAN TROOPS TOWARDS THE END OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR, AND POLICE SAID IT WAS THE RECONSTRUCTED SECTION THAT COLLAPSED.

    THERE WAS ONLY LIGHT HOMEBOUND TRAFFIC ON THE BRIDGE AT THE TIME OF THE COLLAPSE. A POLICE SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY THAT IF THE SECTION HAD FALLEN IN DAYTIME, WHEN THE ROAD IS NORMALLY CRAMMED WITH CARS, BUSES AND LORRIES, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN "A MASSACRE".

    THE BRIDGE IS NOT FAR FROM CASTEL GANDOLFO, WHERE THE POPE HAS HIS SUMMER RESIDENCE.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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