Mississippi Bridge Collapse Kills 3 Construction Workers, Injures 4

A bridge in central Mississippi that was being demolished unexpectedly collapsed, killing three construction workers and injuring four others.

The Mississippi Department of Transportation reported on Facebook that the Strong River Bridge on State Route 149, 40 miles south of Jackson, collapsed on October 16.

Work on the Strong River Bridge was part of a $25 million project in Simpson County to replace several bridges along State Route 149 beginning in Spring 2023. The project was awarded to T.L. Wallace of Columbia, Mississippi. The project is currently on hold until an investigation can be completed. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has opened an investigation.

Phase 1 aimed to replace the following bridges: the Sellers Creek Bridge, the Dabbs Creek Bridge and the Dabbs Creek Relief Box Bridge. Phase 2 called for replacing the Strong River Bridge, which MDOT said was in the process of being demolished at the time of the collapse and had been closed since September 18. The bridges being replaced were built more than 80 years ago.

The project had been scheduled to be completed in 12 to 18 months, though MDOT said the collapse and subsequent investigation may extend that timeline.

An MDOT inspector had been on site when the bridge collapsed and was unharmed.

A press release from T.L. Wallace confirmed the deaths of three of its employees at the site of the collapse: Charles Badger, Kevin Malone and Charles Igleharte. The contractor also said it is fully cooperating with the investigation by local authorities into the collapse and is “committed to providing assistance to the families as they navigate through this unimaginable loss.”