SB I-471 may be closed for ‘weeks’ after massive fire damage to bridge over Ohio River

CINCINNATI (WXIX) – The Daniel Carter Beard Bridge and both sides of Interstate 471 over the Ohio River between downtown Cincinnati and Newport remain closed Friday after a massive fire damaged the bridge.

State inspectors are examining the bridge right now and hope to open the northbound side of the bridge as soon as it’s safe, said Matt Bruning, spokesman for the Ohio Department of Transportation.

There’s no timeline yet for when the bridge might fully open, but the southbound side along I-471 could be closed for “weeks,” he said.

Detours: I-71/75 or AA Highway to Taylor Southgate Bridge

The northbound side of the bridge has less damage than the southbound side, so it will reopen as soon as it is inspected and determined to be safe, he said.

However, the southbound side of the bridge has “some significant damage” and repairs could cost millions and take weeks to fix, according to Bruning.

Part of the bridge deck needs to be replaced, along with at least three steel girders and a sign, he said.

“Obviously it’s going to take some time to get some steel beams in here,” Bruning said. “A fire under a bridge like this is a big concern for us and it will take some time to get it back open.”

It could be weeks and up to six weeks, he acknowledged.

He confirmed the repairs would be similar to those carried out on the Brent Spence Bridge when it was closed for six weeks in late 2020 due to an early morning fiery lorry crash.

Cincinnati Fire Chief Frank McKinley said the cause of the fire and where it started is under investigation.

“We haven’t ruled anything out,” he said.

They are working with Cincinnati police and federal investigators.

The playground was full of wood and synthetic materials, causing a fire that likely reached several thousand degrees, according to the fire chief.

Flames shot as high as 40 feet into the air and caused another fire on the bridge, Assistant Fire Chief Matt Flagler said.

No one was injured and no vehicles or hazardous materials were involved or released.

Cincinnati fire crews initially responded to the incident at 3:20 a.m

There were conflicting reports from 911 callers, Flagler said.

Some reported a vehicle fire on southbound I-71, and others said there was a fire under or near the freeway and bridge, according to the assistant fire chief. There were also initial reports of explosions.

When firefighters arrived, they found the playground at Sayler Point Park off Pete Rose Way fully engulfed in flames.

The heat and flames from the fire grew more intense and spread up to the bridge, where another fire started, Flagler said.

“The fire that was on the bridge was quite complex and did quite a bit of damage to the structural steel of the bridge,” he said.

Fire crews reported seeing “concrete falling on the north side of the bridge” and “significant metal warping under the bridge to the point of failure,” according to initial emergency communications reports.

The fire was under control, but it took hours for crews to completely extinguish the hot spots.

Sawyer Point is closed Friday “due to damage from the fire,” Cincinnati Parks posted on its Facebook page.

The playground, called 1000 Hands Playground, appears to have been destroyed and is still smoldering.

All roads in downtown Cincinnati to I-471 are closed, as is Pete Rose Way.

Boats are still allowed on the Ohio River under and around the bridge, according to Cincinnati police.

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