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'We're going to rebuild it and thousands of others': Biden warns the next bridge collapse could end in fatalities after visiting Pittsburgh scene where rescuers formed a human chain to save passengers from dangling bus
[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] Um...no inspections?
- Police reported the span, located in the city's Frick Park neighborhood, came down some time around 7am on Friday morning
- Several cars as well as a Port Authority bus were involved in the collapse. Ten people were injured, three taken to hospital but none of the injuries are life-threatening, Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire Chief Darryl Jones said
- Biden toured the damaged bridge accompanied by local leaders and visited one end of the collapsed bridge where he spoke with first responders and local and state officials for an impromptu briefing
- A photo from the scene shows the commuter bus - which had three passengers and a driver on board - upright on a section of the collapsed bridge while another vehicle is shown dangling near the edge
- A September 2019 inspection of the city-owned bridge revealed the deck and superstructure to be in poor condition, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation´s National Bridge Inventory
| So the Pittsburgh city fathers knew it was dangerous almost three years ago, but chose not to spend money for adequate repairs. Why should the rest of the country cover it? |
- The steel span, built in 1970, carried about 14,500 vehicles a day and is posted with a 26-ton weight limit
- Rescuers rappelled nearly 150ft and others formed a human chain to pluck commuters from the vehicles
- After reports of a strong smell of gas in the air a natural gas line was cut and nearby homes were evacuated
- The collapse happened hours before President Biden's scheduled visit to Pittsburgh to tout his $1.2trillion infrastructure bill, which includes bridge maintenance. The White House announced the visit will go ahead
Posted by: Skidmark 2022-01-29 |
