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Massive fire closes Ohio River bridge near Cincinnati and damages its steel structure

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Massive fire closes Ohio River bridge near Cincinnati and damages its steel structure
Smoke fills the air from a vehicle fire on the I-471 bridge near Cincinnati. (AP PHOTO)

CINCINNATI (AP) — A massive fire underneath a bridge spanning the Ohio River closed a heavily traveled route between Cincinnati and northern Kentucky on Friday and damaged part of the steel structure. No injuries were reported.

The fire broke out overnight near a playground under the bridge, shutting down Interstate 471, according to the Cincinnati Fire Department.

Video showed flames soaring more than 40 feet into the air and igniting a short section of the bridge, known for its yellow arches, near downtown Cincinnati. Chunks of concrete fell from the bridge and the fire warped a few of its steel beams, fire crews reported.

The heaviest damage was on the bridge’s southbound lanes leading to Kentucky and will take weeks to repair, said Matt Bruning, a spokesperson with the Ohio Department of Transportation.

At least three beams and a section of the roadway will need replaced, he said.

What caused the fire is under investigation, said Frank McKinley, the city’s fire chief. The flames were fueled by mulch as well as plastic and wood playground structures below the bridge, he said.

More than 60 firefighters helped bring the fire under control, he said.

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The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. The Trucker Media Group is subscriber of The Associated Press has been granted the license to use this content on TheTrucker.com and The Trucker newspaper in accordance with its Content License Agreement with The Associated Press.
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