Pittsburgh Bridge Collapses Before Biden Visit To Talk About Infrastructure

A bridge in Pittsburgh collapsed Friday morning ahead of President Joe Biden’s scheduled visit to the area to talk about infrastructure.

The Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety announced at about 7 a.m. that the snow-covered bridge, on the outskirts of Frick Park, had collapsed.

Ten people suffered minor injuries and three of them were taken to nearby hospitals, according to officials.

Three of the injured were a driver and two passengers on the bus when the bridge collapsed. The crew formed a human chain to help rescue many people from the bus, which was suspended from the bridge, Associated Press reported.

Some of the injured were responders who slipped and fell.

Darryl Jones, the city’s fire chief, told NBC’s WPXI Pittsburgh Branch The crew had to step back about 100 feet to help people.

Officials urged people to avoid the area. The collapse caused a gas leak, prompting authorities to cut a gas line due to “a strong smell of natural gas,” according to the Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety.

It also prompted Pittsburgh Public Schools officials to move all K-5, K-8, 6-8 and Special Schools to distance learning “due to the impact of the East End bridge collapse and the large amount of the bus driver called away..”

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf said his team is “monitoring the situation in Pittsburgh and preparing to provide assistance as needed.”

“Pittsburgh Residents: Please stay safe and continue to avoid the area,” he wrote on Twitter.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Biden will still make the trip to West Mifflin, 10 miles from Pittsburgh, “and will stay in touch with officials on the ground about additional assistance we can provide. provided.”

She said the president was “very grateful to the first responders who rushed to assist the drivers who were on the bridge at the time.”