Close call: Scaffolding collapses near 108-year-old covered bridge in New Brunswick
People who live near New Brunswick’s Smithtown Covered Bridge say they heard ominous creaking in the lead up to several stories of scaffolding collapsing close to the wooden link.
It happened Thursday morning. A resident, who didn’t want to be named, was curious about the sound and began recording video of the already damaged scaffolding just before it fell into the Hammond River.
The New Brunswick Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DTI) says the scaffolding at the Smithtown Covered Bridge in Hampton, N.B., collapsed due to the high water resulting from heavy rains overnight Wednesday into Thursday.
DTI says district staff confirm the bridge itself wasn't damaged. Video shows some boards were broken from the bridge when the scaffolding was being pushed by the river.
As for the 108-year-old covered bridge, the department says there is no damage to the structure after the collapse.
“The scaffold installer for the project was contacted early Thursday morning to assess the area and began removal of scaffolding, which will continue today and into next week,” said a spokesperson in a statement to CTV News.
“Some scaffolding may remain in the river; but will be removed once the water recedes.”
The historic Smithtown Covered Bridge is seen in Hampton, N.B., on Dec. 2, 2022, a day after after scaffolding collapsed next to the structure. (Nick Moore/CTV Atlantic)
The province says it’s looking at options other than scaffolding to complete the work being done to the bridge. It had hoped to have the work completed this week, but the province says the incident will likely push the project back by at least two weeks.
In the meantime, the Damascus Road approaches to the bridge remain open to traffic.
The Smithtown Covered Bridge was built in 1914.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.
China's latest EV is a 'connected' car from smart phone and electronics maker Xiaomi
Xiaomi, a well-known maker of smart consumer electronics in China, is joining the country's booming but crowded market for electric cars.