This photo was taken moments before tragedy struck
A bridge that three young women were standing on suddenly gave way, causing all of them to sustain injuries. The women were taking selfies on the deteriorating bridge in the northeastern region of Brazil when the bridge suddenly gave way, and they plunged more than 30 feet to their deaths.
As a direct consequence of the catastrophe, the women, two of whom are still in their teenage years, had several fractures.
It is believed that the women, aged 22, 15, and 26, were thrown into the valley below when the side of the bridge collapsed while they posed for photographs on top of the ancient railway bridge.
The officials in the borough of Castelo do Piaui have made public a photograph that appears to have been shot on the same day as the bridge collapse and shows three women and a fourth friend. The photograph was taken just before the bridge collapsed.
On top of the abandoned railway bridge, the women can be seen laughing and smiling for the camera while a fourth woman holds the camera to shoot the selfie.
Marcelo Freitas, a local police officer, was quoted in the following by the media: “In spite of the fact that it has been in a condition of deterioration for some time, the bridge continues to serve as a railroad despite the fact that it spans the Cais River.
“The young women were standing on the bridge taking pictures when suddenly a piece of it broke away, and they both plunged to the ground below.
“To our great good fortune, all three of them made it through the ordeal and were eventually rescued by authorities.”
It is believed that there were eight people on the bridge at the time of the terrible tragedy; nevertheless, the only three women who were hurt in the fall were taken to the hospital.
After falling from the bridge that is situated more than 10 meters over the Cais river, they were extremely fortunate not to have suffered more serious injuries as a result of the accident. Three of the girls were injured; two of them shattered many bones in their legs, while the third girl broke her foot.
They received medical attention at a facility that was located nearby, and then they were transported during the night to a different hotel, the Hospital Teresina, which was located over 190 kilometers (118 miles) away.
The local administration believes that the federal government should be responsible for the maintenance and safety of the bridge, while the federal government denies this claim. They have made initial contact with the Ministry of Transport and are currently expecting a response from the Ministry of Transport.
Two persons were murdered and 22 others were injured when an unfinished road bridge in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, collapsed in 2014.
