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Three remain hospitalized after fatal bridge collapse in Simpson County

By Tia McKenzie Oct 17, 2024 | 6:54 PM

SIMPSON COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) – Authorities released additional information about Wednesday’s fatal bridge collapse in Simpson County.

Three survivors are in serious condition at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) in Jackson. Another person, who was injured, was treated at the scene on Wednesday.

Simpson County Coroner identified the three victims who died as Kevin Malone, Charles Ingleharte, and Charles Badger.

According to officials with the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT), the Strong River bridge on State Route 149 has been closed to traffic since September 18 as part of a bridge replacement project. They said T.L. Wallace, the contractor for the project, was in the process of demolishing the bridge.

Albert White, the District 7 engineer for MDOT, said he’s never seen anything to this magnitude in his 26 year of experience.

“Something of this level with as many people involved, it’s different. It’s not something that happens every day. And thankfully, it doesn’t. But again, we just pray that everybody remembers them and lift them up because we know God, only through Christ, can we have hope and healing,” said White.

WJTV 12 News reached out to T.L. Wallace about the incident. We did not hear back from the company at the time of this publication.

The bridge replacement project will remain on hold until the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) takes a thorough look into what caused the collapse.