A pedestrian bridge collapsed over a highway in the nation's capital on Wednesday, sending five people to the hospital.
The collapse happened just before noon along Interstate 295 in Northeast Washington. The bridge was found to be in poor condition at an inspection just a few months earlier.
Investigators believe a truck struck the bridge, causing it to come loose and collapse, said Chris Geldart, the deputy mayor for public safety and justice. Several other vehicles were also involved in the collapse. He cautioned that the investigation was still in its preliminary stages.
People work on the scene of a collapsed pedestrian bridge along Kenilworth Avenue & Polk Street Northeast in Washington, Wednesday, June 23, 2021. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via AP)
The five people taken to the hospital had non-life-threatening injuries, Geldart said.
Chunks of concrete and other debris were strewn across the highway, and both directions of traffic were expected to be closed at least until late Friday. The bridge was lying atop the truck, which was leaking diesel fuel along the roadway, officials said.
Mayor Muriel Bowser said Wednesday afternoon that there were no recent reports of structural concerns about the bridge. But Geldart said in a statement later Wednesday that the mayor's statement was incorrect.
He said that the bridge was inspected in February and that a subsequent report issued May 25 rated the bridge as being in poor condition. He said the rating — a 4 on a scale of 9 to 0 — marked a threshold prompting a multiyear planning process to replace the bridge. The bridge had previously been rated a 5 — in fair condition — in April 2019.
The Metropolitan Police Department is leading the crash investigation, Geldart said.
Authorities work on the scene of a collapsed pedestrian bridge along Kenilworth Avenue & Polk Street Northeast in Washington, Wednesday, June 23, 2021. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via AP)
After over 50 years of record-breaking global tours, it is the end of the road for one of rock and roll's most influential bands, Kiss. The legendary Gene Simmons spoke with Cheddar News to reflect on his career and how Kiss became a staple of American culture.
Lenny Rosenberg and Adaeze Nwanonyiri, owners of Bea's Bakery, joined Cheddar News to show people how to take the creation of gingerbread houses to the next level.
Wendy's announced it's bringing back its Frosty key tags for promotion, which gives customers a whole year's worth of Frosties for just $3, with proceeds going to children in foster care.
Julie Boardman, co-founder of The Museum of Broadway, joined Cheddar News to discuss the
history of theater in New York City, showed some of the gallery exhibits and gave a behind-the-scenes tour of how some of the shows are produced.
Dania Diaz, managing director of Roc Nation and one of the founding members of its United Justice Coalition, joined Cheddar News to discuss how the organization helps to address violence in Black and Brown communities and what they expect to talk about at an upcoming summit.
