Two Orange County workers sustained injuries this morning when a scaffolding structure related to the renovation of a pedestrian bridge in Apopka, Florida, collapsed, officials said. The bridge, which is situated over East Main Street at the intersection of South Forest Avenue, was undergoing repairs as part of the West Orange Trail maintenance when the incident occurred, as reported by WFTV.
Based on initial reports, the mishap unfolded due to a critical miscalculation. City officials, in a statement, explained that the steel columns, assumed by the workers to be securely anchored into the underlying concrete, were in fact, only affixed to the facade. This error led to the structural failure that sent scaffolding tumbling down.
the injuries inflicted on the two workers are said to be non-life-threatening. Eyewitnesses at the scene relay within a report from WFTV that the injured workers are "expected to be OK".
The road has since been reopened to vehicle traffic, yet the sidewalk and the compromised bridge remain closed to the public. The city mayor confirmed that the two individuals hurt were contractors working on behalf of Orange County, as detailed by WESH.
Officials are continuing to investigate the exact cause of the scaffolding collapse and will assess the extent of the damage to the pedestrian bridge.
