DOT: Repairs Continue On Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge Following Truck Fire
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Repairs and delays continue on the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge more than a month since a massive truck fire left part of the span seriously charred.
The Queens-bound right lane on the upper level of the bridge has been closed since a 40-foot tractor-trailer carrying wooden, plastic and metal clothes hangers burst into flames last month.
EXTRA: Check Traffic Conditions
It took about an hour for firefighters to extinguish the blaze.
The fire sent thick clouds of black smoke billowing into the sky, damaging an upper level floor beam and burning some of the electrical cables that stretch along the side of the bridge.
Three men in the truck got out safely and no injuries were reported, police said.
In a statement to 1010 WINS, the Department of Transportation said the blaze was "hot enough to melt steel" and said it needs to construct a special beam in order to complete the repairs.
"Work continues on repairs to the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge following a truck fire on August 16th," the statement said. "DOT Bridges is fabricating two 26-feet-long, 1.5-ton custom steel beams in its shop in Brooklyn."
The DOT said the lanes are tentatively scheduled to reopen in October.
Earlier this month, another tractor-trailer caught fire on the bridge closing the lower level in both directions. That fire was under control in about 15 minutes.
The DOT checked the bridge for structural damage from that incident, but found none.
Check Out These Other Stories From CBSNewYork.com:
