As of: 01/28/2022 3:56 p.m
An important bridge collapsed in Pittsburgh on the very day that US President Biden wanted to speak on site about infrastructure deficiencies. There were probably no deaths, but the exact extent is still unclear.
Before the visit of US President Joe Biden to Pittsburgh, a snow-covered bridge with an important transport connection collapsed in the US metropolis of Pittsburgh.
“We don’t think there are any fatalities, but there could be some injuries,” Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman told CNN in a phone call from the scene of the accident. The bridge fell almost 20 meters onto a pedestrian walkway in a park.
A bus stands on part of the collapsed bridge.
Image: AP
Biden expected to visit anyway
During his visit to Pittsburgh in the afternoon, Biden wants to talk about, among other things, the modernization of the dilapidated infrastructure in the United States. The White House announced that the visit would go ahead.
Fetterman said the bridge collapse underscored in a “terrific way” how urgent infrastructure deficiencies are in the United States. The Lieutenant Governor added: “Fortunately, because of the weather, schools start two hours late, so there was less traffic than on a normal day.”
Important traffic artery of the city
The bridge was an important traffic artery into the city. According to Fettermann, he drove over the bridge several times himself. “It’s surreal.” Pictures showed a bus and some vehicles on the remains of the bridge.