Local News
Serious incident occurring on Lake Pontchartrain Causeway bridge
A significant incident on the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, the world’s longest bridge over water, caused the closure of its northbound lanes on Saturday morning.
The bridge, which connects New Orleans to the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, was shut down after reports of an emergency surfaced.
Serious incident occurring on Lake Pontchartrain Causeway bridgehttps://t.co/OO8tJtJJut pic.twitter.com/zX5XVYKoXy— News Channel3 Now (@newschannel3now) November 16, 2024
The Causeway Commission issued an alert at approximately 11:40 a.m., notifying the public about the lane closure due to what was described as a “serious incident.”
Officials initially estimated the closure would last about an hour, though further updates were not immediately available.
Photos and videos captured by onlookers at the scene showed towering flames and thick black smoke rising from the bridge. Motorists were seen standing outside their vehicles, observing the incident as traffic came to a standstill.
Authorities have not released specific details about the nature of the incident or whether there were any injuries. Emergency responders are actively managing the scene, and an investigation is underway.
Motorists are advised to avoid the area and seek alternate routes until further notice. Updates from the Causeway Commission are expected as the situation develops.
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ala. — Authorities have identified the woman killed in a fatal crash Monday morning that also left a child injured in Jefferson County.
According to the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office, the victim has been identified as 32-year-old Erica Nicole Austin, a resident of Birmingham.
The collision occurred early Monday morning and involved a passenger vehicle and a dump truck, said Center Point Fire District Chief Brandon Dahlen.
Emergency crews were dispatched to the scene shortly after the crash was reported.
Upon arrival, first responders found Austin critically injured. Despite efforts to assist, she was pronounced dead at the scene at 6:46 a.m.
A child who was traveling with Austin sustained injuries in the collision and was transported by Center Point Fire and Rescue to Children’s of Alabama for treatment. The child’s condition has not been released.
The driver of the dump truck was not injured, officials confirmed.
The impact of the collision led to a complete closure of the roadway for approximately five hours as authorities worked to investigate the scene and clear the wreckage.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Accident Reconstruction Team is leading the investigation to determine the circumstances that led to the deadly crash.
No additional details have been released at this time.