Abandoned bridge catches fire in Folcroft, Delaware County
Fire officials tell Action News the bridge has been abandoned for at least 30 years and should be demolished.
FOLCROFT, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- An abandoned bridge in Folcroft, Delaware County caused issues for train travelers on Sunday.
The old Folcroft Avenue bridge that goes over Amtrak and SEPTA train tracks caught fire around 6:30 a.m.
"We're not sure the exact reason of the fire, but it's collapsing onto the tracks, onto the Amtrak and SEPTA tracks," said Folcroft Fire Chief Tom Weber.
Officials say the fire caused large chunks of wood and other debris to fall from the bridge and onto the tracks below.
The bridge is composed of steel with wood planking and asphalt. The fire prompted delays for SEPTA and Amtrak travelers.
"The power was secured, then we were able to place the fire under control. Now we're just waiting for them to come out with a train to remove loose sections of the bridge," said Weber.
Residents say the bridge is an eyesore and needs to go. It's been abandoned for at least 30 years.
"The bridge is terrible, it causes a lot of problems for people," said Joe Cook of Sharon Hill. "It's been down for years, nobody wants to fix it. Nobody wants to own up and put the money up to fix it."
Other residents say it causes traffic and is a headache.
"It backs up sometimes from Wawa and down," said James Nickerson of Folcroft. "I would like to see it fixed."
According to PennDOT, Folcroft Borough owns the bridge.
Officials are still investigating the cause of the fire.
