A snow-covered bridge in Pittsburgh collapsed early Friday, injuring at least ten people just hours before President Biden was scheduled to visit the city to underscore his drive for infrastructure improvements.
Biden paid a visit to the site of the collapse on Friday afternoon. He stated of the city with 446 bridges, "I've been coming to Pittsburgh for a long time." He said, "And we're going to cure them all."
"Biden deserve an incredible lot of praise," Biden added, placing his hand on the shoulder of a police officer.
In a tweet just before 7 a.m. ET, Pittsburgh Public Safety verified the fall. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the bridge spans a wooded ravine and creek in Frick Park.
A short time later, Pittsburgh Public Safety reported a significant gas odor in the vicinity and confirmed that a gas line had been severed. The Red Cross had been contacted for "victim aid," according to the statement.
According to Pittsburgh Public Safety, at least three of the ten people injured were sent to the hospital. The injuries, they claimed, were not life-threatening.
There was a "huge gas leak, but everything is now under control," according to Fire Chief Darryl Jones. According to CBS affiliate KDKA, those who were forced to flee have been allowed to return.
Pittsburgh Public Schools announced that all K-5, K-8, 6-8, and Special Schools will convert to remote learning, citing "the impact of a bridge collapse in the East End and a high volume of bus driver call-offs."
How the collapse unfolded
The cause of the bridge's collapse remains unknown. There were several cars involved, as well as a Port Authority bus.
The bus was "almost at the East side of the bridge" when it began to fall at 6:45 a.m., according to Port Authority spokesperson Adam Brandolph. The operator and two passengers were helped off the bus, and no one was hurt.
"We are grateful that no one from the bus has reported any injuries, and we are grateful to the first responders who put their lives on the line to save others," Brandolph added.
Biden's visit to Pittsburgh proceeds as planned
The incident happened on the same day that Biden was supposed to visit Pittsburgh. According to the White House, he will speak at Mill 19 at Carnegie Mellon University about "strengthening the nation's supply chains, renewing American manufacturing, creating good-paying union jobs, and building a better America, especially through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law."
Repairs would take time, according to Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, who spoke to reporters on the scene.
According to WESA, he stated, "This is a significant artery; a lot of work needs to be done."
According to the station, Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey emphasized the importance of the federal infrastructure plan's passage for Pittsburgh and southwestern Pennsylvania.
"We're aware that we have bridges to maintain," Gainey said. "For him to come today and explain why this financing is so vital... it's critical that we obtain this funding."
The bridge has been listed in poor condition
The National Bridge Inventory database lists the 447-foot-long bridge as being in bad condition. According to member station WESA, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation classifies components of its construction from "poor" to "satisfactory."
The bridge was inspected on time in September 2021, according to Kim Lucas, acting director of Pittsburgh's Department of Mobility and Infrastructure, the agency responsible for the construction. However, she stated that the inspection report is not available to the public. The city has been asked to provide the report to NPR.
Jay Costa, a state senator from Pennsylvania who covers parts of the city, told Pittsburgh's CBS affiliate that he wants to see the inspection report.
"We'll see what that tells us, but I suspect you'll see an effort in Pittsburgh to improve things.""Try to conduct extra assessments on all of the bridges in the vicinity to prevent such incidents from occurring again," he said.
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