One person died and four people were rescued after a suspension bridge over the Tarn river near Mirepoix-sur-Tarn commune, north-east of Toulouse, France collapsed on 18 November, Monday, AFP reported.
According to the reports by CX: A teenager has died and several other people were injured when a bridge collapsed north of Toulouse on Monday morning.
The teenager was a passenger in a car on the Mirepoix-sur-Tarn suspension bridge when it collapsed at about 8.30am. A truck, also plunged into the water, reports say.
— Sébastien Marcelle (@SebMarcelle) November 18, 2019
According to reports, the bridge gave way after a truck with a tonnage above the authorised limit drove across causing the construction to fail. The truck fell into the river alongside a car that was crossing the bridge at the same time.
— Sebastien Roux (@Seb_roux_) November 18, 2019
Local media earlier indicated that a 15-year-old died in the incident, but this information has not been verified yet by the authorities.
Nearly 80 rescuers and three helicopters have rushed to the scene.
— Sapeurs-pompiers 31 (@sdis31officiel) November 18, 2019
pic.twitter.com/GoKhFxd0kV— Sapeurs-pompiers 31 (@sdis31officiel) November 18, 2019
"Many rescue resources are engaged (...) for a bridge collapse on the commune of Mirepoix sur Tarn," emergency services said on Twitter, adding that the departmental road D71 was cut off. "Please avoid the area and facilitate emergency access."
Sapeurs-pompiers 31@sdis31officiel
De nombreux moyens de secours sont engagés par le @sdis31officiel pour un effondrement de pont sur la commune de Mirepoix sur Tarn. La D71 est coupée. Merci d'éviter le secteur et de faciliter l'accès des secours.
The lorry that was on the bridge over the river Tarn at the time was over the allowed weight, according to early reports published on the website of regional newspaper La Depeche du Midi.
According to media reports as reported by Sputnik, the bridge was last renovated 16 years ago.
According to local media, the 150 metre-long and 5 metre-wide bridge was renovated in 2003 by the departmental council of Haute-Garonne.
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