Italian bridge collapses as truck drives over it

A large truck driving on an overpass in Italy was enough to cause the structure to collapse, killing a motorist underneath.

At least four cars were damaged and five people injured when the bridge in the northern Italy city of Lecco collapsed under the weight of the vehicle weighing 108 tonnes, Il Fatto Quotidiano reports.

A CCTV video of the accident shows how close a number of other cars travelling underneath the overpass came to being crushed.

As the truck crawls across the bridge the road beneath it gives way and falls in one large chunk.

A white car passing underneath is instantly crushed while another truck travelling behind it manages to pull up just in time.

Road operator Anas has blamed local authorities for the tragedy, saying they were warned that the road needed to be closed after workers noticed problems earlier in the day.

There are reports that the local authorities wanted the information provided to them in writing before they could act on the tip off.

Provincial officials have denied the firm's version of events.

A police investigation has been launched into the accident.