1 killed as part of old bridge collapses during demolition

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A portion of a former two-lane highway bridge that was being demolished collapsed Saturday, killing one member of the construction crew and injuring another, police said.

The accident occurred about 1:30 p.m. as one portion of the old bridge fell onto a lower section, said officer Darin Snapp, spokesman for the Kansas City Police Department. Snapp said the victim's identity was being withheld, but that he was about 40 years old and lived in the Kansas City area.

The victim was standing on the upper portion next to his truck when the bridge gave way.

"They had a crane up there, and it looks like it buckled right where the crane was," Snapp said. "It buckled and fell onto the lower bridge."

Three other workers were at the site at the time of the accident, Snapp said. One other man was also injured, but his injuries did not appear life-threatening.

"He was conscious and moving around, talking and everything, so it's probably minor injuries," Snapp said. "But thank goodness no one else was seriously injured."

He said the bridges and nearby road had not been open to traffic for "some time" and were being demolished.

Federal and state officials have been called in to investigate the cause of the accident, Snapp said.