A firefighter reacts as he stands next to the site where a four-story building collapsed following a earthquake in L'Aquila, central Italy, on April 6, 2009. A powerful earthquake in mountainous central Italy knocked down blocks of buildings early Monday as residents slept, killing at least 50 people and trapping many more, officials said. Interior Minister Roberto Maroni, arriving in L'Aquila hours after the quake, said at least 50 people had been killed and that the toll was likely to rise as rescue crews clawed through the debris of fallen homes. L'Aquila is the capital of the Abruzzo region and lies in a valley surrounded by the Apennine mountains.
Section:Photo
