President Joe Biden toured damage of the bridge collapse in Pittsburgh before delivering remarks on infrastructure.
“You all realize I’ve been coming to Pittsburgh a long time. And as a former Pennsylvanian. But… I didn’t realize there are literally more bridges in Pittsburgh than any other city in the world,” Biden told reporters on Friday.
He added, “Did you know that? More than Venice. I mean, I knew there were a lot of bri… I had no idea of that. And we’re going to you’re going to fix them all. Not a joke. This is going to be a gigantic change.”
Watch Biden’s comments below:
President Biden toured damage of a snow-covered bridge in Pittsburgh Friday after it collapsed just hours before he was scheduled to visit the city for an infrastructure event. https://t.co/kVIZbHqz76 pic.twitter.com/OT5guBFHaA
— The Hill (@thehill) January 28, 2022
According to The Washington Post, the bridge collapse injured 10 people. Darryl Jones, chief of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire, reported that four people were hospitalized. The injuries were not life-threatening, as the Post reported.
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey (D) told reporters, “The good thing at this point is that there are no fatalities, and we’re going to pray there are no fatalities.”
He added, “We were fortunate.”
White House Press Secretay Jen Psaki tweeted earlier on Friday that Biden “is grateful to the first responders who rushed to assist the drivers who were on the bridge at the time.”
@POTUS is grateful to the first responders who rushed to assist the drivers who were on the bridge at the time. The President will proceed with trip planned for today and will stay in touch with officials on the ground about additional assistance we can provide.
— Karine Jean-Pierre (@PressSec) January 28, 2022
Psaki also said Biden will be “talking about how far we’ve come in getting our economy moving again, making more right here in America, and ensuring all workers benefit.”
Additionally, the White House issued a statement before the bridge collapse.
“The president will talk about how his Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is already strengthening in our supply chains and critical infrastructure — our roads, bridges, ports, airports, and more — giving us an edge in producing more in America and exporting it to the world,” the statement reads.