Fort Ave. bridge fire still a mystery

Lynchburg News & Advance
Published: April 26, 2008

The cause of a fire that destroyed a bridge on Fort Avenue on April 16 has not been determined.

Lynchburg Fire Marshall Greg Wormser said the cause still is under investigation. The fire, which destroyed the more than 80-year-old bridge last week, broke a water main and forced drivers to take alternate routes around one of downtown Lynchburg’s main arteries.

Wormer said he couldn’t say whether arson was involved. Investigators are still interviewing witnesses and trying to piece together evidence, he said.

The old bridge’s construction fueled the fire and led to its collapse, Wormser said. The bridge was built with heavy timber, similar to railroad ties. To preserve the wood, it was soaked in creosote, diesel fuel and other petroleum products.

“That contributed to the fire’s spread,” Wormser said. “If it had been a metal bridge, it would not have had such a catastrophic failure.”

Early speculation about the fire pinned the cause on a homeless person underneath the bridge or a campfire, although Wormser said that is not the case.

The bridge, built in 1924, was scheduled to be demolished along with a similar structure on Park Avenue, as part of the city’s Midtown Connector project. The road likely will remain closed at the bridge for more than a year.