PITTSBURGH, Pa. (PTTP)- Three days after the historic Frick Park Bridge collapse, a Port Authority bus caught in the rubble of the infrastructure was hoisted off of the remains of the Fern Hollow Bridge.
The spectacle started around 5 p.m., with crowds forming at an observatory on the Squirrel Hill side of the park. Onlookers were clamoring to document this momentous occasion in Pittsburgh history.
Crews had to drain about 125 gallons of fuel and properly attach the ropes and wires to the bus before lifting it. Once the bus was in the air, it took 15 minutes to set it on the ground.
Along with the bus, three other cars were lifted from the remains of the bridge. However, three cars remained on the bridge by the end of the day.
According to a National Transportation Safety Board official, the NTSB is working to attain video from nine cameras on the bus. A disaster declaration by Mayor Ed Gainey has been signed to allow federal money to be diverted to assist a speedy clean-up and reconstruction process.
The city hopes that the NTSB investigation will help address how the infrastructure in the area can be made safer. The investigation is expected to take several months.
Mayor Ed Gainey has made public statements, saying, “The Fern Hollow Bridge collapse is a painful reminder of the condition of our bridges and a call to action to address our aging infrastructure.” He wants to receive more funding to assist with infrastructure needs so a disaster like this never happens again.
Early Feb. 1, the bus was towed away from the site. According to Port Authority workers, the bus will be taken to a garage in the hopes of being fixed.