Road Bridge Collapses on Railway Tracks, Killing One and Injuring Five
In a tragic turn of events, a road bridge has collapsed on railway tracks in western Russia, resulting in the death of a woman and leaving five others injured, according to local officials.
All train traffic was brought to a standstill following the incident on Monday in the town of Vyazma, Smolensk region. Additionally, approximately 8,000 households were left without gas due to damage to pipelines.
An investigation into the cause of the collapse of the Paninsky overpass is currently underway. One news channel speculates that the bridge’s old age may have played a significant role in the incident.
Residents of the area had reportedly raised concerns about the state of the overpass to the authorities on multiple occasions, as reported by the 112 Telegram channel.
It is believed that several vehicles were on the bridge at the time of the collapse, with later images from the scene showing an overturned car and a lorry.
Regional Governor Vasiliy Anokhin revealed that six out of the seven spans of the bridge had collapsed. Three of the injured individuals have been transferred to Moscow, while a 14-year-old girl is currently receiving treatment at a local hospital.
In a social media post, Mr. Anokhin expressed his deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased woman. He also mentioned that over 160 emergency personnel are tirelessly working through the night to restore train traffic at the site as quickly as possible. — BBC
