A bridge collapsed during the reopening ceremony at a public park in the city of Cuernavaca, in Morelos, Mexico. At least 25 people were injured, two of them with more serious injuries.
The construction gave way as the city’s mayor, José Luis Uriostegui, his wife, journalists and guests made the crossing. Videos on social media show that, shortly before the accident, a person dressed in black jumps twice over the wooden structure.
Pedestrians fell from a height of about two meters onto rocky terrain. Some people slipped into a stream. The accident happened on Tuesday (7).
“Certainly [a ponte] could not support the weight of people,” said Samuel Sotelo, secretary of government for the state of Morelos. He said the mayor and his wife were not seriously injured and urged authorities to investigate the accident.
Civil Protection agents were sent to the scene and helped the victims. At least eight people had to be taken to hospital – one councilor had an exposed fracture in his foot and another suffered a skull injury.
The walkway consisted of boards and chains and had recently been renovated. The works were part of a project to revitalize tourist areas and cost 20,000 Mexican pesos (about R$5,000), according to the Mexican newspaper El Universal.
The governor of the state of Morelos, Cuauhtémoc Blanco, regretted what had happened and offered support to the municipal authorities. Cuernavaca is 85 km from Mexico City and is a popular holiday destination.
