Pittsburgh Bridge Collapse Leads to 3 Hospitalizations Hours Before Biden Infrastructure Speech

A bridge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania collapsed on Friday morning, the same day that Joe Biden was due in the city for a speech regarding infrastructure.

There were four vehicles on the Fern Hollow Bridge when it crumpled, including a bus; ten people suffered minor injuries and three from the bus were taken to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries. Mayor Ed Gainey said in a news conference that there are no reported fatalities, per CBS Pittsburgh. There are still teams on the scene looking to see if anyone is trapped underneath the bridge.

The Allegheny County Police Department found out about the collapse after 6 a.m. on Friday, with crews arriving before 7 a.m.

The collapse also led to a natural gas leak in the area. Some homes were evacuated but residents have since been able to return. There was a gas distribution line running underneath the bridge, but it doesn’t appear that a gas explosion caused the collapse. 

Biden is still going to visit Pittsburgh for his scheduled discussion concerning the historic $1.2 trillion infrastructure plan. He’s aware of the bridge collapse, with the White House sharing a statement: “The President is grateful to the first responders who rushed to assist the drivers who were on the bridge at the time.”

Biden might visit the site before or after his speech on Friday.