An Osage County landmark was destroyed following a mishap just before noon Monday at Westphalia in which the Pentecostal Bridge on CR 611 collapsed under the weight of a tractor-trailer which became stuck. Work went into the late evening to remove debris and trailer, and prepare for Tuesday’s extraction of the tractor.

Deputies were initially dispatched at 11:40 a.m. Monday after Osage County Road & Bridge Department called it in to assist a stranded motorist on CR 611, but Cpt. Travis Schaffer said he and Cpl. Ricky Jarvis could not find the driver, David Landau, 55, of Iowa, who is employed by Stutsman Trucking of Hills, Iowa. The company did not respond to a request for comment.

Schaffer said he and Jarvis were subsequently dispatched to the bridge, and Westphalia Fire Department volunteers were dispatched at 11:55 a.m. The bridge was confirmed collapsed at noon, according to Schaffer.

Landau was transporting feed and non-toxic materials to Nutra Ag, formerly the Westphalia Mill, when GPS mapping directed him to Westphalia along CR 611. However, his approach to the bridge was too narrow and he became stuck.

Schaffer said Landau made an attempt to navigate the tight corner but soon realized he could not,  and the truck was stuck, with the cab on the bridge itself. Landau backed up in an attempt to clear the bridge when the brush guard on the front of his truck clipped an I-beam, which led to the collapse of the bridge.

Pentecostal Bridge has a five-ton limit, and Second District Commissioner Larry Kliethermes noted that signs indicating the weight limit are clearly posted well before the bridge in both directions, and signs are posted at the bridge itself as well.

Missouri Highway Patrol troopers estimated the cargo weighed at least 40,000 pounds, or 20 tons, plus the weight of truck and trailer.

The trailer was stuck on the west end of the bridge, and the tractor plunged approximately 30 feet to the water below with the deck beneath it. Landau was not injured in the accident and managed to climb up the hill to the roadway.

By 2 p.m. Monday, a heavy-duty crane was in place on the Westphalia side of the bridge, while a rotator, a big semi-truck that can turn on a swivel, which was used in part to remove bridge debris.

Equipment had by then removed the trailer from the edge of the bridge.

Removal of the wreckage, including the bridge, began Monday afternoon and the tractor was removed Tuesday.

There were no reported spills of petroleum in the Maries River, which at this location is nine feet in depth. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the Missouri Department of Conservation were on the scene Tuesday to help plan the cleanup. They were especially concerned with material in the river and on its banks.

The top part of the bridge was cut away removed by the rotator.

Concrete barriers have been put into place by the Osage County Road & Bridge Department, and through-traffic has been diverted from the area. Road and Bridge Foreman Ron Kempker believes the barricades which have been erected to close the road will be adequate for traffic control. The Osage County Sheriff’s Office pulled deputies from traffic control duty with that announcement.

Students who normally use Pentecostal Bridge have been notified they will have to find an alternate route, but Superintendent Chuck Woody said there are no bus routes along CR 611.

The main span of the Pentecostal Bridge, also called the Big Maries Bridge in its history, was constructed in 1893 by the Kansas City Bridge Co., and pony trusses were added in 1902 by the Interstate Bridge Co.

From west to east, all trusses were pin-connected, with a total length of 279.8 feet and a width of 13.8 feet. With a vertical clearance of 18.5 feet, the bridge had an average daily traffic count of 50 cars in 2017.

Structural issues began to impact safety, and studies have been conducted to preserve it.

In May of last year, a bridge report from the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) classified the bridge as in serious condition.

The bridge recently underwent a fracture critical inspection, and while results had not yet been received by mail, Kliethermes said normally, a failure notice is delivered by phone.

Now that is moot, and Kliethermes is unsure where the county will go from here, but commissioners received advice from Prosecuting Attorney Amanda Grellner.

“We were told to get as much information as possible about the trucking company and let our insurance know about the situation,” said Kliethermes.

The county’s insurance provider is Missouri Public Entity Risk Management (MoPERM).

More photos are found at www.mariescountyadvocate.com and in this week’s edition of the Unterrified Democrat.