Fire burns Rock Island Swing Bridge

Officials in Inver Grove Heights say they need to finish assessing damage before deciding whether to continue work on the Rock Island Swing Bridge.

The bridge caught fire this afternoon and firefighters spent hours battling against wind to douse the blaze. No one was hurt.

City Parks and Recreation Director Eric Carlson says the fire was caused by welders who were working on a $2.4 million project to turn the double-decker bridge into a 70-foot recreational pier.

The project was supposed to be completed this month but work was delayed by recent flooding.

Carlson says deck of the bridge collapsed into the river during the fire. He says officials haven't been able to do a complete assessment of the damage, but so far it's clear that at least two sections of the structure will need to be rebuilt.

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