A video depicts the devastating moment a bridge in western Russia collapsed on top of railway tracks.
Pictures and clips circulating on the social media platform X and Russian channels on the messaging platform Telegram show the Paninsky Bridge crumbling down as a lorry was crossing it.
A car was also on the bridge at the time of the incident, the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations said. The woman inside the car died on the scene, the Ministry added, while the lorry driver remained severely injured.
In the video, a person who narrowly avoided the collapse can be seen running away from the debris.
Following the collapse of the bridge at around 2pm BST (4pm local time), a total of six people were left injured, five of whom were hospitalised, the country’s state news agency TASS reported citing rescuers.
The incident also damaged a gas pipe, Russian Telegram channel SHOT wrote, prompting the intervention of gas service workers.
While no train was crossing at the time of the collapse of the bridge, the infrastructure crumbling down prompted the suspension of the service.
Following the deadly incident, the causes of which are not yet clear, locals claimed the bridge was “not in the best condition”, Russian news outlet Glavnaya Tema wrote.
In 2018, authorities announced they would overhaul the road surface of the bridge, which is located in the Russian region of Smolensk bordering Belarus.
The bridge should have been inspected in March 2023, but the check didn’t take place, the Ukrainska Pravda claimed citing Russian media.
The infrastructure connects the central part of Vyazma town with the Moskovsky, Yubileiny microdistricts and the village of Vyazma-Bryanskaya.
The governor of the region, Vasily Anokhin, announced in a brief statement he visited the scene of the incident.
He wrote on Telegram: “Took personal control of the situation with the collapse of the Paninsky Bridge in the city of Vyazma. I went to the place. Emergency services are currently on the scene.”
Regional officials announced a criminal case has been opened regarding the collapse of the bridge.
