Worker dies after fall from old Charleston bridge (SC)

The Beaufort Gazette ^ | Aug. 23, 2005

[SC Swamp Fox]

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) - A worker helping to demolish the Silas N. Pearman Bridge in Charleston is dead after part of the structure collapsed and he fell along with it Tuesday.

The name of the worker was not immediately available Tuesday night, the state Department of Transportation said.

The state agency said the demolition contractor was removing a steel girder and concrete section of the bridge over Drum Island and the worker fell during the collapse of part of the structure.

Demolition work will be halted until an investigation determines it is safe to continue, the Transportation Department said.

Dismantling the Pearman Bridge and the John Grace Memorial Bridge is a $57 million project that began after the new $632 million Ravenel Bridge opened last month.

[SC Swamp Fox]

lunarbicep, thanks for the ping.

[SC Swamp Fox]

South Carolina Ping

Add me to the ping list. Remove me from the ping list.

[gusopol3]

can anyone post a picture? The old layout was unique.

[N. Theknow]

can anyone post a picture? The old layout was unique.

The old bridge had an astronomical pucker factor!

[gusopol3]

http://de.structurae.de/files/photos/1905/img_16854.jpg


It doesn't do it justice, but is the best I can find. Sorry the demolition led to tragedy for this worker's family.

[smonk]

from google maps:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=charleston+SC&ll=32.803184,-79.924550&spn=0.017580,0.039873&t=k&hl=en

drum island is that spit of land in the center. in fact, you can see the construction of the new bridge crossing the old bridges at drum island.

[gusopol3]

now that's a good one.

[ops33]

I can remember when I was in high school taking the bus across the old Cooper River Bridge when it was traffic in both directions.

[newbeliever]

I grew up in Charleston. When I was 16 I was in the back of a "friend's" Mach I. About 3:30 in the afternoon, we went over the old bridge at 115mph. I thought for sure I was gonna die. Got the other end and turned around and hit the new bridge even faster.

My older brother got out of a car and walked on the railing over East Bay st. one night. Much adult beverege involved.

i crawled out the window of the passenger side of my friend's truck one night, into the back of the truck and then into the driver's seat. he was tired of di\riving.

A guy I went to school with jumped off and died

Another firend and others in the car died in a head on.

One morning I stuck my leg out the window of my bud's car and used my foot to knock over a traffic cone. My knee was never the same and eventually ended up with reconstructive surgery. Not a smart thing. 8 pounds at 65 mph is painful.

This is only a partial list.

[Gamecock]

I'm glad I grew up in Columbia and new had the chance to do that.....

(We had our own mischief, but it wasn't that far up in the air)