Firefighters have not lost hope of finding miracle survivors in Genoa

By
AFP
|
There is still the possibility that someone might be trapped alive under the rubble. Photo: REUTERS

ITALY: More than a long shot, it would be a miracle. But firefighters lifting away tons of rubble from the Genoa bridge collapse in Italy have not given up hope of finding someone alive three days after the disaster that has killed at least 38 people.

One of the rescuers, Stefano Zanut, said there was still the possibility that someone might be trapped alive in what he called "a triangle of survival" - where rubble or beams form a protective cover.

"We are working in synchronisation with earth moving equipment and sniffer dogs," Zanut told Reuters at the site.

"We are trying to find points where we can penetrate this incredibly heavy rubble. Then the earth-moving equipment moves in to create an opening from where the dogs enter," said Zanut, one of some 340 firefighters working shifts at the scene since Tuesday.

So far, there has been no sign of life under the mountains of debris. Officials estimate that between 10 and 20 people are missing and may be under the rubble.

Zanut and his colleagues hope at least one of them may be still alive.