One dead after pedestrian bridge collapses

Sunday, September 28, 2014, 12:51 PM - A truck driver is dead after his vehicle clipped a pedestrian bridge over a highway.

The overpass collapsed onto the highway, damaging several vehicles, including the truck. The driver was taken to hospital, where he later died.

It happened on Friday in Detroit, over the city's Southfold Freeway, at around 6 a.m., according to WDIV.

The Detroit network quotes police officials who say the driver was not wearing a seat belt.

"He did not have his seatbelt on and that's going to definitely be a contributing cause to why he passed away," Lt. Michael Shaw told WDIV. 

The accident damaged several other vehicles, but no other fatalities were reported. Traffic was backed up for several kilometres, as the fallen overpass spanned multiple lanes. The highway was reopened early Saturday morning.

The incident is reminiscent of the closure of the Burlington Skyway in late July.

That damage occurred when a dump truck driver drove his vehicle beneath the bridge's steel arch with its bed still raised.

Other vehicles were damaged in the incident, and some injuries were reported, but no one was killed.

The driver was later charged with impaired driving, and the Skyway reopened after several days.

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