Puskar Gene ASSOCIATED PRESS

PITTSBURGH — A two-lane bridge collapsed in Pittsburgh early Friday, forcing rescuers to rappel nearly 150 feet while others formed a human chain to help rescue occupants from a suspended bus.

The collapse came hours before President Joe Biden was due in the city to claim his $1 trillion infrastructure bill, which includes bridge maintenance.

The collapse caused minor injuries but no deaths, authorities said, who also said they were flying drones to make sure no one was under the collapsed sections.

Police reported that the span, on Forbes Avenue above Fern Hollow Creek in Frick Park, fell just before 7 a.m.

Sam Wasserman, spokesman for Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, said hours after the collapse authorities were assessing the scene and an urban search and rescue team was still scouring the area for other victims. possible.

He said most of the 10 people assessed for injuries were first responders checked for exhaustion or because of the cold, snowy weather. Three people were taken to hospital and none suffered serious injuries, Wasserman said.

City officials said the collapse caused a gas leak, but the gas has since been shut off.

Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman called it “just a horrible, surreal scene.”