14 Injured in Idaho Bridge Construction Collapse on Interstate 84

By Aaron Poehler

Published on October 31, 2008

14 construction workers were injured Monday afternoon in Nampa, Idaho when an bridge under construction collapsed under them while they were in the midst of pouring concrete for the structure.

The bridge's support structure reportedly gave out unexpectedly around 1:15 PM, causing debris to crash to the ground and possibly shifting support footings for other bridge sections. Although several construction workers, all employed by Graham Construction and Management of Spokane, Washington, fell as much as 30 feet during the incident, none of the injured 14 were seriously hurt, suffering primarily from lacerations and broken bones. The injured workers were taken to area hospitals Mercy Medical Center in Nampa, St. Luke's in Meridian, and St. Alphonsus in Boise.

The construction is part of a project to replace two bridges, the Black Cat Road and Robinson Boulevard overpasses, and widen sections of Interstate 84 from Meridian to Nampa. The bridge portion that collapsed was part of the new Robinson Boulevard Overpass.

A spokesperson for the Idaho Transportation Department stated that work at the site has been postponed indefinitely. ITD engineers and OSHA investigators are currently looking into the causes of the accident.

 

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