1 dead, up to 3 injured after Missouri bridge collapses while under construction

(KANSAS CITY, Mo.) — One person is dead and up to three others are injured after a bridge that was under construction near Kansas City, Missouri, collapsed, authorities said.

Workers were pouring concrete on the bridge deck when it collapsed Wednesday afternoon, before 2 p.m. local time, according to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.

The bridge collapsed on top of the workers and rescue efforts ensued, Clay County Western Commissioner Jon Carpenter told ABC News.

Three to four workers became trapped, the sheriff’s office said. Two to three of them were able to escape from the collapse themselves and were transported to area hospitals with minor injuries, the sheriff’s office said.

The deceased victim has not been publicly identified.

There were multiple contracting companies on the scene at the time of the collapse and no county employees, authorities said.

The two-lane bridge spans Carroll Creek at Northeast 148th Street and Shady Grove Road in Washington Township, outside of Kearney, about 27 miles northeast of Kansas City.

The bridge has been closed since 2016. Construction began in May 2021, and it was set to reopen in early 2023.

“The Clay County Highway Department states there were no safety concerns on the project prior to today,” the Clay County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement on Wednesday. “An engineering contractor was on scene today inspecting the bridge before the deck was poured.”

The sheriff’s office said it will turn over the investigation to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

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