A section of a towering highway bridge collapsed² in Italy last Tuesday, sending vehicles plunging³ nearly 300 feet to the ground and killing⁴ at least 35 people, officials said.

意大利相关官员表示，一座高速公路高架桥于上周二发生垮塌，车辆从近300英尺的高度坠向地面，造成至少35人死亡。

The collapse¹ of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa occurred around midday during strong storms moving through the area of northwest Italy, according to authorities.

据有关部门称，意大利西北部的热那亚地区遭遇了暴风雨，正午时分莫兰迪大桥突然倒塌。

At least 30 vehicles were on the bridge in a port section of the city when the span gave way, Amalia Tedeschi, a firefighter, told the Italian news agency ANSA.

消防队员阿玛丽娅·特德斯奇向《意大利安莎通讯社》透露，高架桥垮塌时，该段桥上至少有30辆汽车。

Several people were pulled from the rubble⁵ alive and taken to a hospital by helicopter, Tedeschi added.

特德斯奇补充说，从废墟中救出的部分人员已经由直升机送往医院。

Construction involving a crane was occurring on the bridge at the time of the collapse, but it was too early to pinpoint⁶ what caused the span to fail, Italian authorities said.

意大利当局称，在大桥垮塌时，桥上正在进行起重机的施工，但要查明桥梁垮塌的原因还为时过早。

At least 35 people were killed, including a child, according to the city of Genoa's civil protection office.

据热那亚市民防办公室透露，至少有35人死亡，其中包括一名儿童。

All the casualties appeared to have been in vehicles that plummeted⁷ from the bridge, Angelo Borelli, head of Italy's civil protection agency, said during a news conference. He added that the bridge fell on two warehouses⁸ but no one is believed to have been inside them because they were closed for the summer holiday.

意大利民防署署长安杰洛·博雷利在新闻发布会上表示，所有伤亡人员都是从桥上坠落的车内人员。他补充说，大桥倒塌在两个仓库上，仓库因暑假而关闭，没有人在仓库里面。