CINCINNATI — All lanes of I-471 are closed after a fire engulfed Sawyer Point Park and spread to the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge, damaging it early Friday morning.
Matt Bruning, spokesperson for the Ohio Department of Transportation, said during an 11 a.m. press conference that the bridge suffered "significant damage on the Ohio approach."
Bruning said inspectors have not completed their evaluation of the bridge, but their preliminary observations revealed the northbound side of the highway suffered much less damage than the southbound side.
The goal, Bruning said, is currently to inspect the northbound side first in the hopes it will be able to re-open sooner, but the southbound side will remain closed for an indeterminate amount of time.
On the southbound side, at least three steel beams need replacing, then a new bridge deck will need to be poured and a sign truss that was damaged will need replacing, Bruning said.
Bruning said he couldn't give a timeline for when those repairs would be completed, "but it will not be days."
Assistant Fire Chief Matt Flagler said at around 3:30 a.m. fire crews were dispatched to multiple locations, both on and below the I-471 bridge. Some 911 calls came in reporting a car fire, other reports said an outdoor fire, Flagler said.
CPD officers said earlier in the morning they'd received reports of a vehicle fire, but Flagler said that wasn't the case.
When fire crews got there, they found the playground at Sawyer Point Park in flames. Flagler said they do not know what started the fire and it remains under investigation.
"When we got down here, the park underneath the bridge was completely engulfed," said CPD Lieutenant Patrick Caton. "Flames were reaching up over the front of the park, up over the bridge and it was, it was actually doing damage to the bridge."
The fire at the park quickly grew and, because of the volume of the blaze, multiple fire crews were called in to fight it.
"That playground was heavily involved in fire and the fire actually transmitted to the bridge structure of the I-471 bridge," said Assistant Fire Chief Matt Flagler. "There's some netting and some equipment underneath that bridge that also caught fire."
During the 11 a.m. press conference, Cincinnati Fire Chief Frank McKinley said the fire burned very hot, in part because there were several fuel sources burning. Materials in the playground, including wood, rubber and plastic, contributed to how hot it burned, he said.
"The fire was a very large fire that put out a lot of BTUs because of the source and the fuel that was involved in it," said McKinley. "It created a large heat that compromised some of the integrity of the structure, so we have our partners here working with us to determine safety issues concerning the bridge."
That heat is what caused the bridge itself to start burning, according to Flagler.
The fire has currently been contained, according to CFD. Caton said parts of it are still smoldering, however. At around 8:15 a.m. flames could again be seen under the bridge. At the 11 a.m. press conference, McKinley said firefighters remain on the scene in case of other flare-ups.
Flagler said the fire at the playground was extinguished fairly quickly, but the fire that spread to the bridge is complex and "has done some damage to the structural steel that's on that bridge."
KYTC and ODOT are on scene and bridge inspectors are at the bridge to begin examining it after the fire is fully extinguished.
KYTC said there is no timeline for when the bridge can re-open.
Here's a list of what will be blocked while I-471 is closed:
ODOT is diverting southbound I-471 traffic from Ohio by way of I-71 and I-75 South. In addition, the following restrictions are in place in downtown Cincinnati:
- Liberty Street access to I-471 is closed.
- 5th Street access to I-471 is closed.
- S. 50 East and West access to I-471 is closed. (U.S. 50 remains open to thru traffic.)
- Pete Rose Way/Riverside Drive is closed under the approach.
- Eastbound Pete Rose Way motorists may use Eggleston Street.
- Westbound Riverside Drive (U.S. 52) should divert to Columbia Parkway (U.S. 50).
According to KYTC, all I-471 northbound lanes will be blocked at the I-275 interchange, and motorists are advised to use I-275 eastbound or westbound to detour.
The following is a list of additional Kentucky traffic impacts where the on/off ramps to northbound I-471 are closed:
- Alexandria Pike (U.S. 27) exit
- Grand Avenue (KY 1892) exit
- Memorial Parkway (KY 1120) exit
- Dave Cowens Drive (KY 8X) exit
CPD said no one has been injured in the fire, but it has caused significant property damage. ODOT officials also said no hazardous materials were released and no vehicles were damaged by the fire.
