Resident of Huntington County, Ind. said a Norfolk Southern train crossed the bridge less than an hour before it fell.
A railroad bridge in Huntington County, Ind. collapsed early this morning, according to a Norfolk Southern Corp. emergency service alert.
The railway said the collapse was caused by flooding from heavy rains that have been pummeling the area the last few days. As a result, NS has closed its mainline between Ft. Wayne, Ind. and Peru, Ind.
NS said railway personnel are on site and resources are being dedicated to repair the bridge and re-open the mainline as soon as possible, but that customers with traffic moving through this area should expect delays of 48 to 72 hours.
According to a report from local news affiliate ABC 21/NBC 33, residents of the small town of Andrew, Ind. said flood waters from the overflowing Little River reached the support walls of the bridge around 2:00 AM and eroded the surface until the bridge finally collapsed.
One witness told the news station a Norfolk Southern train had just passed over that bridge less than an hour before the collapse.
No serious injuries have been reported thus far resulting from the bridge collapse or greater flooding, but Huntington County emergency officials are still warning residents to stay away from flood waters and ABC 21/NBC 33 reported several residents have already evacuated and found temporary shelter.
Railroad bridge collapses in Indiana
