Historic Rock Island Swing Bridge On Fire
INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, Minn. (WCCO) -- A historic bridge in the south metro that was once an escape route for John Dillinger caught fire Thursday afternoon.
The fire at the Rock Island Swing Bridge in Inver Grove Heights, Minn. started just before 2 p.m.
Inver Grove Heights officials said that a construction crew was welding a section of the bridge at the time. The overpass was set to re-open as a pier in three weeks.
The bridge was closed in 1999 because of safety concerns and in November of 2008, 200 feet of concrete and steel fell off the 609-foot-long bridge on the eastern side.
Fire crews fought the blaze for a few hours, both on the water and in the air. However, the weather caused problems.
"Right now, the fire department has had a challenge with just getting enough water on the fire itself. The wind has hampered some of their efforts because it's knocking down their water streams a little bit, so they're working hard. There's probably three or four boats on the river fighting it from the air as well," said Eric Carlson, with the city of Inver Grove Heights.
Right now, city officials doubt they'll be able to open the pier on time.
The bridge was originally built in 1895 and in recent years, fans of the bridge began organizing fundraisers to repair and rebuild the bridge, hoping to turn it into an overlook and fishing pier.
In 2009, it was named one of the 10 Most Endangered Historic Places in Minnesota.
