TRUCK'S BOOM COLLIDED WITH BRIDGE CAUSING IT TO FALL
In a press conference, Geldart confirmed the cause of the collapse.
A truck working constructin nearby forgot to lower its boom, which then collided with the bridge, causing it to fall.
SIX OTHER BRIDGES IN DC HAVE LOW RATING
Following the collapse of the Kenilworth bridge, six other bridges in the DC area has found to have a fair rating of 4 on a scale from 0 to 9.
Capital projects will being to reinspect all of these bridges to avoid a similar incident.
“We are on a two-year cycle that we do inspect all our bridges,” Geldart said.
“As a bridges need repair, especially as they started getting into disrepair, when we start to get below a 4, then they go into emergency repairs. But in this case, this bridge was rated at a 4 just in May, when the report was completed, so we’re starting to make its way into our capital projects for next year.”
PREVIOUS INSPECTION GIVEN 'FAIR' RATING
Officials previously stated that the Kenilworth bridge was last inspected in February and no structural integrity was found.
However, in a press conference following the collapse, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Chris Geldart said that the bridge was given a fair rating of 5 on a scale from 0 to 9 in 2019.
The bridge's most recent rating was a 4.
“A 4 means that there are some issues with the bridge that it needs to get into our capital projects,” Geldart said.
“But it doesn’t mean that anything is gonna, you know, the bridge is gonna fall down with a score of a 4.”
HIGHWAY REOPENED AT 1AM
Highway officials confirmed that the DC-295 highway reopened at 1 am.
This was 13 hours after the pedestrian bridge collapse.
NUMBER OF INJURED RISES TO SEVEN
According to Post Millennial, seven people were injured after the pedestrian bridge collapse yesterday.
Five were rushed to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Another two were evaluated at the scene.
Officials confirmed no one was trapped under the carnage.
