Italy: Two die as motorway bridge collapses near Ancona

A motorway bridge has collapsed near the north-east Italian city of Ancona, killing two, Italian officials say.

The victims were in a car below the bridge when it fell down onto the A14 road, which runs between Loreto and Ancona South.

The collapse involved a temporary structure which was supporting the bridge, Autostrade, the Italian highways agency said.

Two Romanian workers were also injured, Italian media reported.

Image copyrightPOLIZIA DE STATO

Image captionThe married couple were killed as they drove under the bridge, reports say

The two people who died were a husband and wife, originally from the province of Ascoli Piceno, whose white Nissan Qashqai was crushed as the bridge came down, Ansa news agency reported.

The bridge had been closed to traffic for maintenance work, it said.

Ansa quoted a witness named Francesco as saying the collapse "happened suddenly" and a female driver in front of him braked and stopped just 10m (33ft) from the collapsed bridge.

"We were saved by a miracle," he said.

The affected road is now closed in both directions.

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