Pittsburgh bridge collapses ahead of Biden’s visit to discuss infrastructure

January 31, 2022

A snow-covered bridge in Pittsburgh collapsed on Friday morning, January 28 even as the city prepared for a visit from President Joe Biden, who planned to deliver remarks on infrastructure, reports The Wall Street Journal.

 Officials tweeted a photo of the collapse, which showed cars flipped over and a bus among the wreckage. Ten people were injured and three were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to Pittsburgh Public Safety.

 “Red Cross has been contacted for victim assistance,” the agency said on Twitter. 

The bridge is part of a major route, located near Frick Park on the east side of the city. There was a strong smell of gas in the area, and officials said they cut nearby gas lines.

 White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki tweeted that the president had been briefed on the bridge collapse and would continue with his planned trip to the region. She said the president was grateful to the first responders and said the White House “will stay in touch with officials on the ground about additional assistance we can provide.”

 In Pittsburgh, Biden plans to tour a research and development site and give remarks highlighting the roughly $1 trillion infrastructure law, as well as the gains in jobs and economic growth over the past year. A White House official said he would talk about how investing in infrastructure and jobs will help the U.S. compete globally. 

 Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf said his team was monitoring the situation and is prepared to provide support as needed. He urged residents to avoid the area.

 Research contact: @WSJ