local health agency officials were quoted as telling that the bridge over the santa maria river , in southeastern peru ' s ayacucho province , " tore in two " as children and teachers from sixteen rural schools were crossing it while going home . david vila , a surgeon with a provincial hospital confirmed in reported that the death toll had fallen to nine . the accident also damaged 53 passengers , most of they were children between the ages of 10 and 13 , valencia said . twelve of the victims were in critical situations . local police said the 120 - feet bridge , making of wood poles and slats held together by steel bars , happened because too many people were on it .
The Peruvian bridge in Ayachuco province broke because of the weight on it.