A Mexico City metro train overpass collapsed onto a road Monday night, killing at least 20 people, including children, authorities said. Dozens more were injured.
“A support beam gave way,” said Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum, who rushed to the scene of the accident. She said a beam collapsed just as the train passed over it. The accident occurred on the metro’s Line 12 around 10:30 p.m. (11:30 p.m. ET).
Civil protection officials tweeted early Tuesday that 20 people had died and 49 had been taken to hospitals for treatment. Earlier, officials reported 15 dead and more than 30 people hospitalized.
Sheinbaum said at a news conference at the scene that of the victims there was one person in his car underneath the collapsed metro overpass and he is alive at a hospital.
A crane is being used to hold up the train so rescue workers can continue to work, she said. Of the dead, some are minors, she said without specifying a number.
Photos and video from the scene showed train cars hanging from the collapsed overpass and rescue personnel searching and transporting people away from the scene on stretchers.
The metro’s Line 12 was built when now Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard was Mexico City’s mayor.
“What happened today in the metro is a terrible tragedy. My solidarity with the victims and their families,” Ebrard tweeted.
“Of course we need to investigate cause and determine responsibility. I reiterate to all authorities my complete willingness to contribute to everything necessary,” he wrote.
A section of the overpass appeared to completely collapse, and another part was partially collapsed at an angle, photos and video showed. Video from Telemundo showed rescuers using ladders to reach train cars that hung from the overpass at a downward angle.
Sheinbaum tweeted that a command center was being established.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
The Associated Press contributed.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
