Three people were killed and several more seriously injured Wednesday when a bridge in Mississippi that was closed nearly a month ago collapsed as a work crew was preparing the bridge for demolition, authorities said.
The bridge over the Strong River on State Route 149 in Simpson County, about 40 miles 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.
Gov. Tate Reeves said in a social media post late Wednesday that county first responders and “other state assets were on the scene of the tragedy,” where they had confirmed at least three fatalities and several injuries.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a social media post Wednesday that the Federal Highway Administration is “addressing state officials regarding” the “premature collapse during the demolition of a bridge on State Route 149 in Mississippi.”
Simpson County Sheriff Paul Mullins had previously told WLBT-TV that three people had been killed and four seriously injured.
Terry Tutor, the Simpson County coroner, told the New York Times that seven men were working on the bridge and using heavy machinery to demolish the bridge when it collapsed and fell nearly 40 feet. He said three of the men died and four were injured, the Times reported.
Mullins and Tutor did not immediately respond to messages from The Associated Press on Wednesday evening.
A call to the construction company, TL Wallace Construction, went unanswered Wednesday evening and it was not possible to leave a message.
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 the inspectors was on the job site when the bridge collapsed, and that person was unharmed.
