Worker Safety
Georgia Worker Killed in Bridge Demolition Partial Collapse, 2 Others Hurt
The bridge that collapsed was the first of four planned to be removed and replaced on the road in Newton County.
Photo by Georgia Department of Transportation
One worker was killed and two others were injured on the site of a Georgia bridge demolition project on Oct. 19 when a portion of the structure collapsed. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the incident.
The workers had started sawing on the bridge on Access Road near I-20 in Newton County, southeast of Atlanta, when the center section of the bridge fell into the Yellow River, according to the Georgia Dept. of Transportation.
Three workers were submerged in the river after the collapse, the Newton County Sheriff’s Office says. Photos from the scene show a truck and an excavator in the water.
Georgia Bridge and Concrete is the contractor on the project. The workers in the collapse were employees of project subcontractor B&D Concrete Cutting Inc., DOT officials say.
B&D identified Demario Battle as the worker who was killed, but his job title or any union membership were not specified.
“Although Demario had only worked a short time, he showed incredible enthusiasm and potential for his new job,” the company said in a statement. “He will be missed by his B&D family.”
Crews brought in a 500-ton crane to remove the equipment from the river the next day.
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Work on the project had just started on Oct. 18, with demolition beginning the day of the collapse.
Four bridges are set to be removed and replaced as part of the project. Further work has been put on hold pending the investigation.
