A fire shut down a bridge spanning the Ohio River on Friday, which connects the states of Ohio and Kentucky.

“A massive fire shut down the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge that connects Ohio and Kentucky. No injuries were reported and the cause of the blaze is under investigation,” CBS Evening News wrote.

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From the Associated Press:

The fire broke out overnight near a playground under the bridge, shutting down Interstate 471, according to the Cincinnati Fire Department.

Video showed flames soaring more than 40 feet into the air and igniting a short section of the bridge, known for its yellow arches, near downtown Cincinnati. Chunks of concrete fell from the bridge and the fire warped a few of its steel beams, fire crews reported.

The heaviest damage was on the bridge’s southbound lanes leading to Kentucky and will take weeks to repair, said Matt Bruning, a spokesperson with the Ohio Department of Transportation.

At least three beams and a section of the roadway will need replaced, he said.

What caused the fire is under investigation, said Frank McKinley, the city’s fire chief. The flames were fueled by mulch as well as plastic and wood playground structures below the bridge, he said.

McKinley said more than 60 firefighters helped extinguish the blaze.

Northbound lanes on I-471 reopened to traffic, but southbound lanes of the bridge will be shut down indefinitely.

Per WLWT:

The bridge, also known as the “Big Mac” bridge, is a major thoroughfare connecting Ohio and Kentucky.

The Ohio Department of Transportation has entered into an emergency repair contract with Great Lakes Construction, and they hope to begin work later Friday.

All lanes on I-471 were closed for most of the day on Friday, with the northbound lanes opening to traffic again around 9 p.m. Friday.

The southbound side has more “significant damage,” with Bruning saying there are at least three steel beams that suffered damage and need to be replaced and with that, a portion of the bridge deck. A sign truss on the bridge also suffered damage and will need to be replaced before those lanes can be reopened.

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