What caused Washington DC pedestrian bridge collapse? 6 injured as traffic comes to a halt
A pedestrian bridge collapsed on DC-295 in Northeast Washington, DC, on Wednesday, June 23. At least six people were injured in the incident, according to the officials. In addition to this, a truck was trapped that leaked gallons of diesel fuel into drains.
According to DC Fire and EMS, four people with injuries were rushed to hospitals and two others were evaluated. In a similar incident of bridge collapse last year, at least 35 people were reported dead after a major motorway bridge collapsed near the Italian city of Genoa. A 260ft section of the 50-year-old Morandi bridge collapsed, plunging multiple vehicles on the bridge to 1250ft below in April 2020.
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Update bridge collapse I-295 prior to Polk St NE. 6 patients assessed, 4 of those were transported. #DCsBravest Hazmat unit mitigating diesel fuel leak from truck that is partially beneath bridge. At least 1 other vehicle was struck by debris. Collapse blocks both directions. pic.twitter.com/wILXGs1zWe
— DC Fire and EMS (@dcfireems) June 23, 2021
Chopper4 footage showed the bridge on top of three lanes of the roadway with fencing hanging over three lanes of traffic in the opposite direction. Debris including slabs of concrete and metal fencing was piled over the wheel of a vehicle at one end of the bridge, which seemed to have completely detached from a staircase and platform. Two vehicles appear to be trapped under the fallen bridge below a large sign for the Benning Road exit. Information on what may have caused the collapse wasn't available and investigation is underway. A vehicle, however, is said to have collided with the bridge, separating it from its moorings.
A truck carrying 500 gallons of diesel was also partially trapped under the bridge and spilled about 25 gallons of fuel into nearby drains. A DC Department of Energy & Environment spokesperson spoke of the accident and informed that a team has put down material to absorb more diesel and mitigate the risk to waterways. DC Fire and EMS informed that another vehicle was struck by debris. Firefighters checked for cars beneath the collapsed bridge and initially reported that no one was trapped.
Metropolitan Area Transportation Operations Coordination (MATOC) said that collapse halted traffic on the freeway. The bridge connected Polk Street NE to the western side of Kenilworth Avenue NW near Douglas Street NE. After the collapse, traffic backups were reported on DC-295, stretching about 3 miles northbound and 1.5 miles southbound. According to information provided by MATOC, northbound traffic is diverted to Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue and southbound traffic is diverted to Eastern Avenue.
