Fireman Davide Capello, who used to play in goal for Cagliari, was driving on a highway linking Italy with France when part of the Ponte Morandi bridge crumbled during a violent storm on Tuesday.

Vehicles on the bridge plummeted as far as 90 metres. Authorities say at least 30 people have been killed, with the death toll expected to rise.

Capello, 33, told the Turin newspaper La Stampa the ordeal was "apocalyptic".

“I was driving to Genoa, I was on the bridge,” he said.

“I heard a noise and then it all collapsed. My car fell 30 metres and got stuck in the rubble. Some people helped me to get out."

Capello said it was "shocking" and he didn't understand how his car wasn't crushed.

“It's incredible that I'm still alive. It's a miracle. I don't have a single scratch.

“It was an apocalyptic scene.”

Italy defender Domenico Criscito was also caught up in the collapse, posting a video on Instagram of torrential rain as he crossed the bridge with his family shortly before tragedy struck.

"We are all well, even though we crossed that bridge exactly 10 minutes before the collapse," he wrote.