Inspector who failed TWICE to identify catastrophic crack in bridge linking Arkansas and Tennessee is FIRED after it is closed and now faces criminal charges
A 15-year employee of the Arkansas Department of Transportation was fired for failing to find a large crack in a critical beam on the Hernando De Soto bridge
The employee, who was not named, was the team leader in inspections in 2019 and 2020 and failed to report the crack
Drone video from May 2019, however, showed the crack was visible at the time
It was first noticed on May 11 by an independent contractor who called 911 and told police to get people off the bridge immediately
With I-40 bridge closed, backup route gets inspection May 18, 2021 at 4:18 pm Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson speaks with reporters about the closure of the Interstate 40 bridge connecting his state with Tennessee, Tuesday, May 18, 2021, in Memphis, Tenn. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, left, also updated reporters about the bridge closure. (AP Photo/Adrian Sainz)
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) An inspection of the Interstate 55 bridge connecting Tennessee and Arkansas began Tuesday, a week after the span became the states’ primary Mississippi River crossing when a cracked steel beam prompted the indefinite closure of the nearby Interstate 40 bridge.
Inspectors using drones were looking closely at the 71-year old I-55 bridge to ensure it is structurally sound and can withstand the higher volume of road traffic it has seen since the I-40 bridge was closed May 11, said Clay Bright, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
With I-40 bridge closed, I-55 backup route gets inspection Inspectors using drones are looking closely at the I-55 bridge to ensure it is structurally sound and can withstand the higher volume of road traffic it has seen since the I-40 bridge was closed May 11. (Source: KAIT-TV) By Associated Press | May 18, 2021 at 5:00 PM CDT - Updated May 18 at 5:02 PM
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) An inspection of the Interstate 55 bridge connecting Tennessee and Arkansas has begun a week after the span became the states’ primary Mississippi River crossing when a cracked steel beam prompted the indefinite closure of the nearby Interstate 40 bridge.
Inspectors using drones are looking closely at the I-55 bridge to ensure it is structurally sound and can withstand the higher volume of road traffic it has seen since the I-40 bridge was closed May 11.