CINCINNATI – Much of Cincinnati was surprised last week A video showing a raging fire under the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge Also known as the Big Mac Bridge.

But it turns out the Federal Highway Administration saw this coming.

A year ago, in response to a fire that closed a bridge over the Santa Monica Expressway, the agency warned state transportation departments to be wary of flammable, explosive or hazardous materials stored under bridges.

The Ohio Department of Transportation said it was already working on the issue when the federal notice arrived, but it’s unclear whether 1000 Hands Playground has come under scrutiny from state highway inspectors.

“We always look for things that are obviously flammable,” ODOT spokesman Matt Bruning said. “In fact, during our inspection we found items such as semi-trailers, dumpsters, construction materials and the debris of homeless people under our bridges.”

What about playgrounds?

“There were no warnings about playgrounds,” he said. “There was a warning about items stored under bridges. This is what we were looking for; things stored under bridges.”

The WCPO 9 I-Team is investigating all aspects of the bridge fire due to road closures, detours and loss of commerce in the I-471 corridor.

At around 3:30 a.m. on Friday, November 1, the 1,000 Fifty Playground at Sawyer Point Park caught fire, causing a portion of the bridge to burn. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine declared a state of emergency on Wednesday “due to hazardous conditions and damages.”

Authorities said no one was injured and no hazardous materials were burned, but the entire south side of the bridge from Cincinnati to Northern Kentucky is closed indefinitely. One northbound lane was also closed during repairs.

In the statement made by ODOT, it was stated that the designs of the support towers that will stabilize the bridge are nearing completion and construction is planned to begin at the weekend.

Kansas City-based engineering consultant Casey Jones said it could take up to two months to return the damaged bridge to service. Jones, who He posted about last week’s bridge fire on his YouTube channelRepairs will require steel components, which typically take eight weeks to order, he said.

“I think ODOT officials agreed that not only would they replace the damaged beams, but the deck and sign beams would also be replaced,” Jones said.

As for whether the playground had flammable material stored under a bridge, Jones said it wouldn’t be “beyond the imagination” to flag that as a potential problem.

“I know from my own experience that most of these playgrounds are made of wood or plastic. They usually have cushioning for fall protection. Most of them are made of rubber or some synthetic material, and of course if they start to catch fire they burn at very high temperatures,” he said.

Bruning said ODOT inspectors look for materials that are “obviously flammable” rather than objects that could catch fire. he sent March 2022 images from Google Maps It shows the I-10 overpass in California being used as a temporary warehouse.

“You can see shipping pallets, cartons, vehicles and other flammable materials stored under the bridge,” Bruning said. “This is what the Federal Highway Administration asked states to look for in its Nov. 15, 2023 memo.”

The playground is constructed of “composite wood with a rubberized surface cast over the playground,” said Rocky Merz, a spokesman for Cincinnati Parks. He also said a new playground could be months away and “most likely in a different location.”

Cincinnati Parks warned Facebook followers last month that “staff and community members have recently encountered ashes from fires at several parks.” People responded to the post on Oct. 11 saying they saw evidence of fire in Ault Park and Winton Woods.

The I-Team asked Merz if these incidents were related to the Sawyer Point fire.

“I do not want to speak for or get in the way of the fire investigators investigating the bridge fire. But I believe I can safely say that they are not related,” Merz said. “Unfortunately, we often encounter people setting fires in areas of parks where they should not be. And it is not necessarily related to the camp. We were raising awareness on social media to discourage activity in general.”

The Federal Highway Administration’s statement did not offer any guidance on whether playgrounds were suitable under bridges, but described the flammable material as “easily ignitable and burns quickly.”

He also cited a federal law that states: “…any structure, building, or facility utilizing flammable materials (such as wood, wood fiber, plastic, etc.) that may pose a fire hazard…shall not be permitted under or adjacent to overpasses and bridges.” Where there is no evidence that such uses will ensure the safe and secure operation and maintenance of the highway facility.”