A bridge collapsed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania state on Friday, hours before US President Joe Biden’s visit. 10 people were injured in this accident and damage to the gas pipeline led to a gas leak in the area. The special thing is that Biden was about to hold a meeting about basic infrastructure in this city, but before that this accident happened. According to US officials, the condition of those injured in the accident is stable. The reason for the accident could not be ascertained yet.
Pittsburgh Public Safety posted on social media – Avoid going to the area of Forbes and Braddock after the bridge collapse. No one is reported to be seriously injured in this accident. The gas line has been cut. The Red Cross has been contacted to help the injured.
The bridge was 52 years old, said Darryl Jones, head of the Pittsburgh Fire Brigade, that the accident happened at 6.45 a.m. This 52-year-old bridge connects the eastern part of the city with the main city. It is very crowded on a normal day, but at the time of the accident, there were only three-four cars and one bus on the bridge.
The collapse of the bridge also caused a massive gas leak, which was stopped within half an hour. However, due to this, a pungent odor has spread in the area. People living in the surrounding area were evacuated.
Adam Brandolph, a spokesman for the Port Authority of Pittsburgh, told the New York Times that two people, including the driver, were involved in the bus that overturned at the time of the accident. There is no news of any injuries so far. In a statement issued by the White House, it has been thanked to those who reached the spot and helped the injured.
According to the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Infrastructure Report, 42% of the country’s bridges are more than 50 years old. Of these, 7.5% of the bridges, whose number is more than 45 thousand, are in very bad condition. Of a total of 1,583 bridges in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, 176 are in poor condition.
