The number of victims of a terrible accident involving a bus in the Venice suburb of Mestre continues to grow and has already reached 21 people, according to the Venetian prefecture.
Information about the accident was spread by Italian news TV channels, which also claim that 12 more people were injured as a result of the bus falling from a height. In addition, four to five people have been reported missing so far.
The bus, owned by Venice’s public transportation operator Actv, broke through a road barrier and fell from a considerable height near the Mestre train station. The incident caused the bus to catch fire, which affected electrical wires, according to Il Gazzettino.
Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro immediately arrived at the scene and called the incident a huge tragedy. As a sign of solidarity and sorrow, he declared the city in mourning. He described the scene from the crash site as apocalyptic.
According to some reports, the bus was running on methane gas and the passengers on it were tourists heading to a local campground.
The Venice Health Department has activated a major emergency protocol, which includes opening all emergency rooms and calling for backup medical personnel. It is important to note that rail service between Mestre and Venice Island Historic Site has been temporarily interrupted.