MENDENHALL (Mississippi, US), Oct 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Three people were killed and four were critically injured Wednesday when a bridge in Mississippi that was closed nearly a month ago collapsed while a work crew was prepping it for demolition, authorities said.
The bridge over the Strong River on State Route 149 in Simpson County, about 64 kilometers south of Jackson, had been closed to traffic since Sept 18 as part of a bridge replacement project, the Mississippi Department of Transportation said in a news release.
The number of deaths and injuries were confirmed by Simpson County Sheriff Paul Mullins.
Terry Tutor, the Simpson County coroner, said that seven men were working on the bridge, using heavy machinery to tear it down, when it gave way and plummeted nearly 12 meters. He said three of the men died, and four were injured
Department of Transportation spokesperson Anna Ehrgott said the agency “would share more information with the public as it becomes available.”
The department said one of its inspectors was at the work site when the bridge collapsed, and that person was unharmed. — NNN-AGENCIES
