DeLauro on Naugatuck Bridge Collapse

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (CT-03) today released the following statement in response to the collapse this morning of a section of the Route 63 Salem Bridge over the Naugatuck River. The portion that collapsed was closed to traffic at the time, but one worker has been injured.

"I was saddened to hear of the bridge collapse in Naugatuck this morning, and my thoughts and prayers go out to the injured worker and his family. I have reached out to Mayor Mezzo to offer my assistance and support in addressing this situation, and a member of my staff has been dispatched to the city.

"I have also been in contact with the Connecticut Department of Transportation and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which has two compliance officers on site, and will continue to be in contact with them as we move forward in determining the cause of this collapse. Brunalli Construction, the company who was repairing the bridge, has been cited in the past for safety violations, and it is imperative that we examine what went wrong. Our nation's infrastructure is literally crumbling, and we must work to ensure that such an accident, which could have been deadly, does not happen again."