federal health dept officials were quoted as reporting that the bridges over the santa maria river , in southwestern peru ' s ayacucho province , " broke in two " as people and teachers from four rural areas were jumping it while going home . fernando valencia , a surgeon with a local department confirms in accounts that the kill toll had risen to nine . the collision also injured 53 others , most of whom were children between the ages of 10 and 13 , valencia said . eight of the perpetrators were in critical condition . area police thought the 120 - foot bridge , carved of wooden boards and slats held back by steel cables , collapsed because too many people were on it .
The Peruvian bridge in Ayachuco province broke because of the weight on it.