"Should have never happened:" NTSB releases findings from the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - "As you will hear today, the collapse of the Fern Hollow Bridge should have never happened."
Those were the words of the National Transportation Safety Board which released its investigation findings of the collapse of the Fern Hollow Bridge.
The NTSB determined that extensive corrosion of the bridge supports and the city's failure to act resulted in the disaster.
In releasing this report, the NTSB says the collapse of the Fern Hollow Bridge should never have never happened -- that the corrosion of the bridge supports was so severe -- the city should have closed it down years ago.
Investigators detailed that decades of neglect had led to corroded and deteriorated main supports of the bridge.
Then, on the morning of the collapse, the main supports on the west end of the bridge failed and buckled, causing the main deck to give way - nearly killing those driving across.
The board found that although this corrosion was cited in inspection reports going back to 2005, inspectors did not deem them critical and the city failed to take action.
In one case, the cross beams supporting the main stations of the bridge had almost completely deteriorated. In 2009, they were reinforced by some cables that were supposed to be temporary.
They were never replaced.
NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said the bridge is an example of deteriorating bridges across the country that need action.
"One such bridge was the Fern Hollow Bridge which collapsed from extensive corrosion and section loss due to reported failures to act on known maintenance and repair recommendations that were documented in inspection reports from 2005 to 2021," she said. "In fact, had contractors for the City of Pittsburgh correctly calculated and accounted for section loss back in 2014 the Fern Hollow Bridge would have, should have been closed."
Now, the hearing is still happening as we publish this story and we will have more in our evening newscasts at 4, 5, and 6:00.