Three dead and up to 15 missing after bridge collapses in Brazil’s Amazon state

At least three people died, 14 were injured, and up to 15 are missing after a bridge over the Curuça River in the northern Brazilian state of Amazonas collapsed, the regional government reported.

The incident occurred at kilometer 25 of the BR-319 highway on a bridge in the municipality of Careiro, about 100 kilometers from the regional capital of Manaus, when the bridge, on which several vehicles were at the time, collapsed for unknown reasons.

At least 12 vehicles were on the bridge at the time of the incident. In this area, the river is up to 20 meters deep.

Firefighters discovered a passenger car in the river, but could not find the occupants.

Due to the bridge’s poor condition, trucks and heavy vehicles had been banned from crossing, although witnesses said there were several trucks on the road at the time of the collapse.

The bridge is located 15 kilometers from the Amazon River and is one of the bridges on BR-319, the federal highway that connects Manaus with Porto Velho, the capital of the state of Rondonia.