Investigators had not determined at ENR press time whether the May 5 collapse of the $59-million Interstate 15 overpass project was caused by code violations or negligence: Before the collapse, a fire was ignited on that windy day as construction workers used blowtorches to cut excess rebar from falsework.
The fire, which temporarily shut a vital artery connecting Los Angeles and Las Vegas, "was the result of contractor activity, but whether or not it was negligence is one of the issues still being investigated," said Tim Watkins, public information officer for the San Bernadino Associated Governments. SANBAG is the lead agency on the project, working in conjunction with the California Dept. of Transportation and the city of Hesperia.