BRIDGE COLLAPSE IN CA – 3 FIREFIGHTERS INJURED
July 10, 2016
At 2:40 a.m. an 18 year-old male from Red Bluff, CA was driving a 1998 GMC 2500 pick-up southbound on Jellys Ferry Road, at an unknown speed.
According to officials, the driver approached the bridge and made an unsafe turning movement to the right and collided with the bridge railing. The vehicle continued airborne off of the north bridge and struck a metal support pillar, causing major structural damage to the bridge.
CHP said the driver was fully ejected from the pick-up. Also the front passenger, Charles Sorrell, 19 years old from Red Bluff, CA sustained major injuries and was transported by air ambulance to Mercy Medical Center in Redding.
Original Story: Three CAL Fire firefighters were transported to a hospital after their 13 ton truck fell 25 feet to the ground. After the bridge they were stationed on collapsed. The firefighters were treated and released.
The crew was responding to a fatal one-car crash around 3 a.m. on Jellys Ferry Bridge.
Officials said that the crash involving a GMC pick-up damaged the bridge which lead to the fire truck rolling off.
The 13 ton truck rolled off the east end of the one-lane bridge north of Red Bluff.
A representative from Tehama County Public Works said repairing the bridge is unlikely since it needs to be replaced.
The bridge servers the rural Jellys Ferry community and about 350 vehicles travel the bridge each day.
