Swiss lab begins analysis of debris from Genoa bridge
A general view showing part of the collapsed Morandi bridge in central Genoa, Italy
Keystone
Parts of the motorway bridge that collapsed in the Italian port of Genoa last August killing 43 people have arrived at a specialist lab in Switzerland where scientists hope to help determine the causes of the deadly accident.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone SDA/Reuters/sb
The Italian justice system has asked three experts from the Federal Laboratory for Materials Science and Technology (EmpaExternal link) to study the bridge debris, the Dübendorf-based laboratory said on Tuesday. They will also be assisted by Professor Bernhard Elesener from the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETHZ).
Empa says it will not provide any further details on the ongoing investigation. In the past, the laboratory has investigated other cases of infrastructure weaknesses, such as the Uster in-door swimming pool in 1985 or the collapse of the gymnasium roof at the St Gallen professional school in 2009.
The Italian government has blamed the toll road operator Autostrade that runs Italy’s motorways for failings in the deadly Morandi bridge collapse in Genoa. A government report published in September said Autostrade had failed to assess the safety of the Genoa bridge, where a viaduct collapsed on August 14, killing 43 people. The government has said it wants to revoke all of Autostrade’s Italian motorway concessions.
The report by a committee at the Transport Ministry said Autostrade had been unable to deal with issues arising from the ageing of the infrastructure it operated. It said that 98% of the investment to reinforce the bridge since 1982 had been spent before Autostrade was privatised in 1999.
The toll operator has rejected the report’s findings, saying it had not clarified the causes of the collapse, adding its own technicians had no access to the site for checks.
Popular Stories
More
Climate adaptation
Why Switzerland is among the ten fastest-warming countries in the world
Has your continent reached its peak or is there still potential for economic growth?
Some regions of the world are on an upward trajectory with the promise of a steadily improving future. Where do you live? And in which direction is your region or continent developing?
Female gorillas prevent inbreeding by avoiding groups with male relatives
This content was published on
Female gorillas do not change groups randomly. They avoid the males they grew up with, thus preventing inbreeding, according to a study by the University of Zurich.
Chinese cryptocurrency exchange Jucoin to set up Swiss offshoot
This content was published on
Zug's Crypto Valley is getting a new addition. The Chinese cryptocurrency exchange Jucoin will set up its European headquarters in Baar, as the company announced on Wednesday.
Natural disasters lead to second most expensive half-year for insurers
This content was published on
The wildfires in California and storm damage have led to the second most expensive first half of the year ever for the insurance industry.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss react to Genoa bridge collapse
This content was published on
The Swiss president, Alain Berset, has sent his condolences to the victims of the bridge that collapsed in the Italian city of Genoa.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.