CATASTROPHE

Death Toll in Italian Bridge Disaster in Genoa Rises to 39

Transport minister demands resignation of structure’s operators, as crews race to find possible survivors.

The death toll from Monday’s bridge disaster in Genoa, Italy, has reached 39 as rescuers continue to search for survivors in the rubble. About a dozen people remain hospitalized in a serious condition after a 260-foot span of the highway bridge collapsed onto buildings below. Now, Italian officials are looking for accountability: Its transport minister called for senior managers to resign at the company operating the bridge and the government is looking to impose financial penalties. Around 250 firefighters from all over Italy are continuing the search for survivors. “We’re not giving up hope,” fire official Emanuele Giffi told AFP news agency, vowing teams would work “round the clock until the last victim is secured.” More than 400 Genoa residents have been evacuated over fears of a further collapse.