Firefighters Hoist 19 Trapped People Out as Italian River Surges

Ventimiglia, Italy – Italian firefighters pulled 19 people to safety after the rising Roia river trapped them beneath a railway bridge in Ventimiglia, near the French border, on Thursday, November 12.

Footage released by the Vigili del Fuoco, Italy's national fire service, shows rescuers in helmets and harnesses working at night on the bridge, lowering ropes through hatches in the deck and hauling people up one by one onto the tracks.

The fire service said the group was stuck under the spans of the bridge after the water level rose quickly. Firefighters first brought 14 people out from under two spans, then checked the last two spans and found five more.

The rescue came as heavy rain hit the Liguria region. "In total, 19 people have been brought to safety. Operation concluded," the fire service said.