Workers carefully remove remains of collapsed Genoa bridge

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A view of of the Morandi bridge in Genoa, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019. Workers taking apart the remains of a bridge which collapsed in Aug. 2018 are set to remove a 40 meter beam, seen in between the red machinery. A large section of the bridge collapsed over an industrial area in the Italian city of Genova last summer during a sudden and violent storm, leaving vehicles crushed in rubble below and killing 43 people. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Work is underway to remove what is left of the Morandi Bridge, the key highway span in the Italian city of Genoa that collapsed in August, killing 43 people.

Engineers spent hours Saturday lowering a 36-meter (118-foot) long chunk of road, the start of demolition efforts to clear the way for a new bridge to be built. The delicate, time-consuming operation was necessary given the unstable remains of the bridge that crosses a populated area.

The cause of the Aug. 14 collapse still hasn't been determined, but prosecutors are investigating poor maintenance or design flaws in the 51-year-old structure.

Hometown architect Renzo Piano has designed a new bridge that resembles the bow of a ship, in homage to Genoa's seafaring traditions. It also features 43 lamps to commemorate those who died.