A Pittsburgh Bridge Collapse Left A Bus Dangling & It Took A Human Chain To Save Everyone
It just collapsed under the snow!
Picture this: you're riding the bus to work on a Friday morning, playing on your phone or reading a book.
Then your stomach jumps, the bus heaves and the back half of the bus is suddenly dangling over a snowy drop.
That's what happened in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's Frick Park early Friday, after heavy snow caused a road bridge to suddenly collapse.
The disaster left a two-segmented commuter bus dangling from the ruined road, and first responders had to get creative to make sure that one one died.
Rescuers rappelled 150 feet down below the bridge to save a few people in cars, while others formed a human chain to save the three people on the bus, authorities told the Associated Press.
Darryl Jones, the Pittsburgh fire chief, told the New York Times that everyone formed a "daisy chain with hands" to save people from the bridge, and they ultimately managed to get everyone out alive.
There were three people on the bus and all of them were rescued safely, officials said. Ten people suffered non-life threatening injuries in the collapse.
Rescuers also had to be super careful throughout the operation, because the collapse triggered a major gas leak beneath the bridge.
The whole thing happened hours before U.S. President Joe Biden was scheduled to visit Pennsylvania to talk about its infrastructure, and we're guessing his speechwriters scrambled to fit this moment into his planned remarks.
“Our team is in touch with state and local officials on the ground as they continue to gather information about the cause of the collapse,” the White House said in a statement.
“The President is grateful to the first responders who rushed to assist the drivers who were on the bridge at the time.”