Lucrezia Ciotti Tragedy struck in the Rieti area, where a boulder broke loose from a rock face and hit several cars in a funeral procession . A 66-year-old woman died and seven others were injured.
Rieti: A boulder hits a funeral procession, killing one woman.
A serious accident occurred along the regional road 521 , in the stretch between Morro Reatino and Leonessa , in the province of Rieti.
As reported by Tgcom24 , a 66-year-old woman , resident in Rome, lost her life after a boulder, suddenly detached from the rock face bordering the road, hit the car she was travelling in.
The victim was sitting next to her husband, who was driving a Chevrolet Spark , and together with other family members was following the hearse headed to Coronella, a hamlet of Cascia, in the province of Perugia, where her mother's funeral was to be held that afternoon.
According to initial reports, the stone, weighing approximately 20 kilograms , rolled toward the road, violently hitting the roof and windshield of the car and penetrating the passenger compartment. The 66-year-old woman's injuries proved fatal.
Seven injured, road closed: investigations into the cause of the accident
After hitting the small car, the boulder also hit other cars that were part of the funeral procession, causing injuries to seven people , none of whom are reported to be in serious condition.
Paramedics from Ares 118, firefighters, and Carabinieri from the Labro and Contigliano stations responded to the scene. The injured were treated and transferred to Rieti Hospital for the necessary checks.
The stretch of the regional road was closed to allow for rescue operations and securing the area. The cause of the rock fall remains unclear: a possible connection to the previous days' rainfall is being considered. The road passes through several areas characterized by narrow ravines and has already been affected by landslides and mudslides in the past , necessitating the installation of nets and containment structures.
According to the latest rumours, the funeral of the victim's elderly mother was still to be held this afternoon in Coronella, while the body of the 66-year-old was made available to the judicial authorities , as ordered by the magistrate on duty at the Rieti Prosecutor's Office.