local health department officials were quoted as saying that the bridge over the santa barbara stream , in southern peru ' s ayacucho province , " crashed in two " as students and teachers from six rural schools were cross it while going home . alfonso valencia , a surgeon with a locally airport confirmed in report that the death toll had rose to nine . the tragedy also injured 53 others , most of whom were children between the ages of 10 and 13 , valencia stated . fourteen of the people were in critical condition . state doctors said the 120 - kilometer bridge , full of plastic floors and slats held together by steel anchors , buckled because too many people were on it .
The Peruvian bridge in Ayachuco province broke because of the weight on it.