Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating what caused an unfinished pedestrian bridge to collapse at a Wake Technical Community College campus last week. The collapse killed one worker and injured four others.
The accident happened while crews were pouring concrete for the bridge at Wake Tech’s northern campus off Louisburg Road, officials said.
“We will look at what caused the collapse and whether there were any violations” of Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards, said labor department spokesman Neal O’Briant.
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The injuries suffered by the four surviving victims were considered serious enough that the workers rushed to the trauma center at WakeMed Raleigh, said Jeff Hammerstein, spokesman for Wake County EMS. He also said it’s too soon to know exactly what caused the collapse.
The concrete bridge crosses a ravine meant to connect a new library with a parking deck, both of which are currently under construction, said Wake Tech spokeswoman Laurie Clowers.
It’s being estimated that a 140-foot section of the bridge fell as much as 40 feet.
“It collapsed all the way down to the ground,” said Jonathan Olson, chief of operations for Wake County EMS.
None of the workers was trapped under the bridge, Olson added.
The investigation of the collapse is expected to take three to four months to complete.
