local health department officials were quoting as stating that the viaduct over the sao barbara reservoir , in southern ecuador ' s ayacucho province , " broke in six " as students and teachers from nine farm centers were crossing it while running home . fernando madrid , a surgeon with a private university confirmed in reports that the injury toll had rising to nine . the accident had injured 53 others , most of whom were children between the age of 10 and 13 , valencia said . eight of the people were in critical condition . peru government said the 120 - meter bridge , made of wooden boards and slats held together by steel chains , collapsed because too little people were on it .
The Peruvian bridge in Ayachuco province broke because of the weight on it.