A bridge in the Elgin County community of Port Bruce collapsed Friday afternoon, just as a dump truck was driving over it.
Images posted from the scene by the OPP show the bridge completely buckled, with the rear end of the truck partially submerged. The OPP rescued the driver of the truck by boat, and no injuries were reported.
David Mennill, the mayor of Malahide Township of which Port Bruce is a part, told The Weather Network it was the bridge’s span, rather than the abutments, that failed, and the cause of the collapse is under investigation.
With the bridge’s closure, the north-south exit into the community is shut down, but the west exit remains passable.
Elgin County OPP – police, fire and ambulance on scene at Imperial Road bridge collapse Port Bruce ON.
Rescue underway no injuries reported at this point.
[email protected] pic.twitter.com/QraSv5y2oz
— OPP West (@OPP_WR) February 23, 2018
The collapse comes at a time when water levels on southwestern Ontario’s rivers are still running high after days of rain combined with snow melt and ice jams earlier in the week. Some communities were forced to declare states of emergency and one person, a three year old boy, remains missing after being swept away by the waters of the Grand River near Orangeville.
Earlier in the week, Brantford declared a state of emergency and issued evacuation orders affecting almost 5,000 people as flood waters rose. The evacuation order was rescinded Thursday, though the state of emergency remained in effect Friday. Six Nations of the Grand River also declared a state of emergency.
On Friday, Chatham-Kent declared a state of emergency, and issued a voluntary evacuation for the community of Thamesville.
Source: The Weather Network