Bruce Beach Cottagers' Association

[img_assist|nid=625|title=Collapsed bridge|desc=Remains of bridge on County Road 86, about five kilometres east of Amberley (Photo: Eric Howald)|link=popup|align=right|width=200|height=129] Five men were injured Saturday afternoon after a bridge under construction on Bruce Road 86 collapsed. Workers were pouring the concrete deck of the span when everything suddenly gave way at about 12:30 p.m., said the OPP. Mitch Twolan, mayor of Huron-Kinloss and warden of Bruce County, arrived at the scene about an hour after the 18-Mile River bridge, located about five kilometres east of Amberley, fell about 25 feet into the ravine and river. "We're so lucky no one was killed," was Twolan's first comment in a phone interview Monday morning. As of Sunday afternoon, two of the injured were still in hospital, he said. One of the workers who escaped injury told Twolan, "We're lucky to be here."

According to the OPP, 15 workers were on the job when the accident happened. The injured were taken to Goderich, Wingham and Kincardine hospitals.

Workers were close to finishing the job said Twolan. "They were down to the last 25 metres (of cement)." Looking at the scene, it is difficult to believe no one was seriously injured. Rebar hangs from the abutments at each end of the bridge and the ravine is filled with 250 cubic metres of concrete, wooden forms, twisted metal and other debris. The Ontario Ministry of Labour has taken over the investigation of the collapse but was unavailable for comment Monday because of the Remembrance Day holiday.

Work on the bridge, a joint project of Bruce and Huron Counties, has been moving slowly.
Huron-Kinloss public works manager Hugh Nicol told council Nov. 5 that, "Things are starting to get serious. The project is three months behind schedule."

The tender was given to the lowest bidder, said Nicol, and the company, Allen Hastings Ltd. of the Chesley area, has never had a job of this size before.

"Everything that could go wrong has," Nicol told council Nov. 5. Twolan said he has no idea as to when the bridge will re-open now. The lack of a bridge is a concern for a lot of people, he said.

Source: Kincardine Independent