Partial bridge collapse in eastern Germany causes major traffic disruption

Officials are investigating why a concrete bridge partially collapsed in eastern Germany early Wednesday, disrupting a major traffic artery in Dresden and interrupting the heating system for a city nicknamed "Florence on the Elbe" for its Baroque architecture.

No one was injured when a section of the Carola Bridge fell into the Elbe River, the Dresden fire department said on its website. Police are treating the collapse as an accident, because there are no signs of foul play, according to German news agency dpa.

The bridge dates back to East Germany's formerly communist era, dpa reported, and officials at the scene said that chlorine corrosion from the time could have contributed to Wednesday's collapse.

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The emergency closure of the entire bridge snarled travel for the city's tram system, as well as motorists, pedestrians and cyclists who use the span to travel between Dresden's Old Town and New Town. Boat traffic is also halted, affecting cargo ships and tourism sightseeing vessels.

Crews were alerted shortly after 3 a.m. and are concerned more of the bridge — one of several crossings over the Elbe — could collapse in the coming hours.

The last tram crossed the span just 18 minutes before the collapse, dpa reported. The section that fell was scheduled to be renovated next year, while other parts only reopened in March after months of construction.

Pipes that are part of the city's heating system were also damaged.

"In addition, due to the bursting of two large district heating pipes, we have the problem that the supply of hot water has come to a complete standstill in the entire federal state capital of Dresden," fire department spokesman Michael Klahre told reporters.

Dresden is about 100 miles south of Berlin.