Repairs to Fire-Damaged Binghamton Bridge May Cost Up to $35,000

A Tioga County company will do the repair work needed on a Binghamton bridge that was damaged by a fire that was set in a homeless encampment.

The blaze under the east end of the VFW Memorial Bridge on Bevier Street occurred on December 13. The intense fire appeared to have caused some melting and warping of the steel structure of the span that crosses the Chenango River.

The bridge near Otsiningo Park was closed for several hours after the fire for an inspection. A section remained closed to traffic because of the damage.

Some wood beams were put in place to shore up the damaged portion of the bridge. County officials say they will be replaced with steel beams early next month.

ZMK Construction of Apalachin will make the repairs. It's not known when that work will happen.

A full bridge closure should not be necessary while the repairs are being performed but a lane diversion may be required.

According to county executive Jason Garnar's office, the estimated repair cost is between $30,000 and $35,000.

A man who was said to have experienced a mental health crisis was taken into custody shortly after the fire. While investigators believe he may have been responsible for the blaze, he has not been charged.

VIDEO: An inspection of fire damage under the Bevier Street bridge on December 14, 2023.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.