Workers Rescued from Bucket after Crane Overturns on Sakonnet River Bridge

TIVERTON, RI — Two workers were rescued after dangling precariously under the Sakonnet River Bridge when their crane tipped over on Monday afternoon.

Firefighters launched a rescue operation at the bridge, which carries Route 24 over the Sakonnet River and connects Tiverton and Portsmouth, after the crane toppled at around 1:30 p.m.

The bridge was closed in both directions as crews staged for the rescue, which lasted for more than an hour and ended with cheers from motorists and witnesses who watched anxiously as the workers climbed into a second crane lowered and maneuvered below the bridge.

Members of the Tiverton and Portsmouth Fire departments responded to the scene.

Both departments employ firefighters trained for bridge rescues and emergencies and they used those skills during the rescue, said Portsmouth Fire Chief Michael Cranson at a press conference Monday afternoon after the rescue.

Cranson said local crews engage in "high angle" training in addition to their water-based training, which is essential for communities surrounded by water like Portsmouth, part of Aquidneck Island, and Tiverton.

"We sort of added a few different disciplines today," Cranson said, noting that both departments have the added advantage of training together.

The bridge shutdown caused extensive traffic backups along Route 24, which is carried over the river by the bridge. Traffic was spilling onto Main Road in Tiverton, causing delays, according to reports. It also delayed school buses in Portsmouth and made much of Aquidneck Island and difficult to drive through for much of the afternoon. The bridge wasn't reopened to traffic until after 4 and one lane remained closed past 5 p.m. Motorists were advised to seek alternate routes or avoid the area for now.

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Firefighters began staging the rescue with a ladder truck positioned above the dangling crane and with boats below the bridge in the Sakonnet River. A second crane was brought in to extend under the bridge and reach the trapped workers.

The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority, which oversees the maintenance and operations of the bridge, issued a statement Monday afternoon that said a private contractor was conducting an inspection under the bridge deck using a machine known as a "Snooper" when it malfunctioned for "reasons yet to be known."

"At this time, the Authority believes that all safety protocols and procedures were followed prior to the malfunctioning of the equipment," the statement read.

The second Under Bridge Inspection vehicle brought in to rescue the two stranded workers is similar to the one that malfunctioned. RITBA said that public safety officials acted quickly to close the bridge to all traffic and help with the rescue operation.

"Safety is our number one priority at the Authority and we will undertake a thorough internal investigation into this matter and fully cooperate with any other agency’s investigation into how this incident occurred including OSHA," the authority said.

This is a developing story and is being updated.

Lead photo courtesy: Richard Petrin