FAULTY

Collapsed Bridge Was Damaged

From similar incident six months ago.

A new report released Friday reveals that the highway bridge collapse in Washington State was a long time coming. Six months ago, the report says, officials inspected the Interstate 5 bridge after one of its overhead metal trusses was struck by a too-tall truck last November. Inspectors found tears and other deformations after the incident, but the bridge was declared safe. The report also describes other issues that may have made the bridge not-so-safe, including plants growing in panels and rust. Minor repairs were requested after the November accident, to be performed at some later date. Well, there's no time like the present.