Genoa, August 15: Italy's transport  Minister Danilo Toninelli, has said that senior management of Genoa bridge operator must take the responsibility for the bridge collapse and has called for their resignation. The Genoa Morandi motorway bridge collapsed on Tuesday and has resulted in the death of at least 39 people.

The Morandi Bridge was built in the 1960s on the A10 toll motorway, which connects Genoa to the French border.

According to the Guardian, rescuers were involved in an overnight operation to search for survivors through "tons of concrete and steel" under the fallen Bridge.

Emanuele Giffi, a fire official, was quoted saying by AFP that the rescue team is not giving up hope and have already saved a dozen people from the rubble. He added that the team is going to work round the clock until the last victim is saved.

A vast span of the Morandi bridge caved in during a heavy rainstorm in the northern port city yesterday, sending about 35 cars and several trucks plunging 45 metres (150 feet) onto the railway tracks below.

At least 39 people are known to have died and 15 injured, according to Italy's Civil Protection service.

Children aged eight, 12 and 13 were among the dead, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said today, adding that more people were still missing.

Three Chileans, who live in Italy, and three French nationals were also killed, according to their respective diplomatic services.

Hundreds of rescuers continued their search today after scouring the huge piles of concrete and twisted metal overnight by floodlight, hoping to find survivors.

The tragedy has focused anger on the structural problems that have dogged the decades old bridge and the private sector firm Autostrade per l'Italia, which is currently in charge of operating and maintaining the country's motorways.

Italy's government said it intended to revoke the company's contract and hit it with a fine of 150 million euros (USD 170 million). Deputy prime minister Luigi Di Maio, who arrived in Genoa today morning, earlier said the tragedy "could have been avoided". (With Agency Inputs)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 15, 2018 06:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).