A bridge on a main highway linking Italy with France collapsed in the Italian port city of Genoa during a violent storm, sending vehicles plunging 45m into a heap of rubble. / AP
This is the driver who stopped yards from falling to his death at the collapsed bridge in Genoa.
Luigi Fiorillo stamped on the brakes of his delivery truck as he watched the Morandi bridge crumbling before his eyes.
The 37-year-old father-of-four's escape has been described as a miracle – as every vehicle ahead of him plunged off the structure, leaving at least 39 dead.
Luigi Fiorillo, pictured with his wife Ina Medvyedyeva, stamped on the brakes of his delivery truck as he watched the Morandi bridge crumbling before his eyes. Photo / Supplied
Fiorillo, described as "friendly and hard-working" by his bosses and colleagues at Genoa haulage firm Damonte Trasporti where he works is said to be in shock.
However the usually chatty delivery driver has told how he escaped death.
"I stared death in the face on the Morandi bridge. I saved myself by a miracle," he said.
"I saw a car overtake me on the left, I had another car in front of me. I saw that the cars ahead were falling off [the bridge].
"I stamped on the brakes and came to a stop. I tried to put it in reverse gear. But I couldn't so I jumped out and stepped back a metre when I saw how close to the edge I was. Then I ran."
His Basko delivery truck remains on the stricken Morandi bridge.
Fiorillo is currently recovering at home after surviving the terrible tragedy that has rocked Italy and the world.
His boss Patrizia Damonte told MailOnline: "Luigi is fine but he is suffering from shock. You can only imagine. He came so close to death. So many other people were not so lucky. We are all now looking out of him and hoping he gets well soon.
"He is a really nice guy. He had just finished his deliveries and was on his way home when he was crossing the bridge. We can only thank God that he was saved."
Fiorillo, was returning from a round of grocery deliveries along the Ponente riviera and heading for a depot the suburb of Bolzaneto when he tried to cross the bridge.
The truck on the collapsed Morandi highway bridge in Genoa. Photo / AP
Originally from Salerno, in south-west Italy, he has worked at the Genoa haulage firm Damonte Trasporti for a number of years.
He recently married long-term girlfriend Ina Medvyedyeva, who is originally from Ukraine.
A truck is blocked at the end of the collapsed Morandi highway bridge in Genoa. Photo / AP
A general view of the collapsed Morandi highway bridge in Genoa, northern Italy, with Fiorillo's truck. Photo / AP
Fiorillo earlier described the moment he saw the bridge give way in front of him before he got out and ran to safety.
"I saw the road collapsing, with all the cars that I had in front of me at that time," he told rescuers after seeing the Morandi bridge disappear before his eyes.
His tale of survival was one of numerous lucky drivers who missed the bridge collapse by seconds, or miraculously rode the falling concrete 150ft down to the ground below.
