The paper said the files had been acquired by the judicial authorities following media reports on the state of the structure and statements by the Venice city councillor for public works, Renato Boraso, calling for urgent intervention.

It is not clear whether any further action was taken.

On Tuesday 21 people - nine Ukrainians, four Romanians, three Germans, two Portuguese, one Croatian, one South African and the Italian bus driver - died after a tourist bus travelling from the centre of Venice to a camping site plunged from an overpass above a railway line between the Venice districts of Mestre and Marghera and burst into flames.

The reasons for the accident are unclear.

One hypothesis is that the driver, allegedly an experienced professional, had a bad turn while at the wheel.

However, doubts have also been raised about the state of the overpass and particularly the guardrail.

ANSA