Maine dismantles new bridge spans two months after collapse injured workers
Demolition crews in Maine have begun dismantling a bridge that partially collapsed during construction in August, which resulted in worker injuries. The process involves carefully removing debris from the Stillwater River while managing local traffic detours.
Why it matters
The incident highlights ongoing infrastructure safety challenges and the logistical complexities of large-scale construction repairs.
Demolition crews in Maine have started removing damaged parts of a new river bridge that partly collapsed while workers were pouring concrete. The incident sent injured workers to hospital and brought a major bridge replacement project to a halt. Engineers and heavy equipment operators are cutting apart and removing damaged sections of the new Llewellyn Estes Bridge over the Stillwater River in Old Town. According to updates published by the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT), contractors are using special heavy machinery to separate damaged sections from the supporting piers and abutments. They are then lifting the broken pieces out of the river. The demolition follows an incident on August 13, when a newly built section of the bridge suddenly failed as workers poured wet concrete for the new bridge deck.Controlled dismantling and river cleanupDemolition work began on Tuesday, 13 October.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in