Fern Hollow Bridge collapses in Pittsburgh

Jan. 28, 2022
President Biden was already heading to the city on Friday to talk about infrastructure 

The Fern Hollow Bridge collapsed in Pittsburgh's Point Breeze neighborhood Friday morning.

No fatalities have been reported. However, 10 people were injured when the bridge fell. Three were taken to the hospital, according to The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but none of their injuries were considered life-threatening.

The bridge was part of Forbes Avenue, a road with high traffic volume, and it stretched over Frick Park, one of the city's most popular green spaces.

The bridge goes over a wooded ravine. In the ravine, there is a creek, a popular walking trail, and an off-leash dog exercise area. People were in the park around the time of the collapse, but there have not yet been reports of injuries on the trail.

The bridge collapsed just before 7 a.m., and later on Friday, President Biden is scheduled to speak in Pittsburgh about infrastructure. 

Photos show that four vehicles and a Port Authority bus were on the bridge when it collapsed. The 60-ft bus had two passengers on it, along with the driver. The passengers escaped injury. 

The collapse caused a gas leak, but crews from Peoples Natural Gas were able to shut off the gas, according to The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The cause of the collapse is under investigation. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that city officials said on Friday that the bridge was most recently inspected in September, but it was not made clear if there were any issues discovered during that inspection.

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SOURCE: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | City of Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety

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