Contractor responsible for Liberty Bridge fire assessed millions in damages

PITTSBURGH — The fire that shut down the Liberty Bridge for weeks will cost the contractor several million dollars in penalties.

Channel 11's Rick Earle learned PennDOT assessed $3,033,200 in liquidated damages against J.B Fay Co. for the 24 days the bridge was shut down following a fire that damaged a bridge truss.

Workers were using a blowtorch which sparked the Sept. 2 fire. The bridge reopened on Sept. 27. with weight restrictions. Those weight restrictions were lifted a few days later.

The penalty could have been as high as $5 million, but PennDOT said based on the times the bridge was closed and the terms spelled out in the contract, the actual penalty was lower.

The assessed damage amount will be deducted from the state’s payment to the contractor.

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Cox Media Group