- The McKees Rocks Police Department said shortly after midnight that they were closing the bridge as a precaution.
- A local police scanner page said approximately 23 barges broke loose downstream, with one crashing into a marina dock.
- It comes just weeks after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed after being hit by a container ship.
Authorities were forced to close the McKees Rocks Bridge after 23 barges reportedly broke free from a tugboat in the Ohio River.
The McKees Rocks Police Department said shortly after midnight that they were closing the bridge as a precaution.
According to the department, there are currently several barges that have broken loose heading into the Ohio River.
A local police scanner page said there were an estimated 23 barges moving down the river, one of which crashed into a marina dock.
In a statement, police said: “There are several loose barges heading down the Ohio River.
The McKees Rocks Police Department said shortly after midnight that they would close the bridge, as seen here, as a precaution.
According to the department, there are currently several barges that have broken loose heading into the Ohio River.
A local police scanner page said there were an estimated 23 barges moving down the river, one of which crashed into a marina dock.
‘They may or may not come into contact with the substructure, but we are not willing to take the risk. Please avoid this area until further notice.
It comes just weeks after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed after being hit by a container ship.
The ship, the Singapore-flagged Dali, had been traveling for 20 minutes when it crashed into a support column on the bridge.
Divers have recovered three bodies from the underwater wreckage, while the three remaining victims are still missing.
Crews have been working to remove sections of the fallen bridge, including those tangled in a muddy mess at the bottom of the Patapsco River.