Italian National Police(GENOA, Italy) —  A section of a towering highway bridge collapsed in Italy Tuesday, sending vehicles plunging nearly 300 feet to the ground and killing at least 25 people, officials said.

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

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

At least 25 people were killed, including a child, according to Genoa Mayor Marco Bucci. Another 13 people were injured in the catastrophe, Angelo Borelli, head of Italy’s civil protection agency, said at a news conference.

All the casualties appeared to have been in vehicles that plummeted from the bridge, Borelli said, adding that the bridge fell on two warehouses but no one is believed to have been inside them because they were closed for the summer holiday.

Borelli said 30 to 35 vehicles, including three heavy trucks, were on the bridge at the time of the collapse.

Danilo Toninelli, Italy’s transport minister, described the collapse as “an enormous tragedy.”

Several witnesses posted videos of the collapse on social media. In one video, someone can be heard screaming, “Oh, God” and a flash could be seen as the concrete structure crumbled.

The collapse happened on part of the viaduct on the A10 highway, the country’s national police, Polizia di Stato, said.

Witnesses said the bridge toppled after it was struck by lightning.

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

The A10 highway, the main route between northern Italy and France, was closed in both directions as search-and-rescue teams looked for survivors.

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said about 200 firefighters were on scene searching for survivors.

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte was traveling to the scene, officials said.

The Morandi Bridge, which opened in 1967, is about a half-mile long.

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