Railroad trestle in Chattanooga damaged by roll-off truck

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

photo First responders with Chattanooga Fire Department assess the damage sustained to a railroad bridge over East 11th Street after a "roll off" truck attempted to pass under with its arm extended Monday. The collision appears to have shifted the structure a couple of inches.
photo Site of damaged overpass on ast 11th Street in Chattanooga.

A portion of the 500 block of East 11th Street that runs beneath a railroad trestle in Chattanooga was closed for several hours Monday after a roll-off truck ran into the structure -- pushing it back a few inches.

The truck, which had "Tennessee Waste Haulers" on the door, had its arm extended as it passed under the bridge. The rails at the top were moved, first responders said.

Railroad spikes had been knocked onto the roadway, and the foundation of the concrete trestle showed signs of damage.

In one spot, there was a gap between the foundation and where grass had been growing -- evidence of how much the foundation shifted, according to police.

The driver, who has not been identified, was taken to a local hospital. Greg Krum, owner of Tennessee Waste Haulers, said the driver was not seriously injured.