On the afternoon of October 16, a tragic incident unfolded in Simpson County, Mississippi, when a bridge collapsed during demolition work. The New York Times reports that heavy machinery was being used at the time, and the bridge unexpectedly broke apart, causing individuals to fall from a height of nearly 40 feet. This catastrophe resulted in the deaths of three people and left four others with serious injuries.
The Mississippi Department of Transportation confirmed the location of the incident as State Route 149 over the Strong River. As of now, the specific cause of the collapse remains unclear.
The local coroner stated that the bodies of two victims were recovered by 7:30 PM that evening, while efforts were ongoing to locate the third deceased individual.
According to the transportation department, the bridge had been closed since September 18 due to partial replacement work, and an inspection officer was present at the scene at the time of the incident, fortunately escaping injury.
