USA

Bridge Collapses in Washington State, No Fatalities

In this photo provided by Francisco Rodriguez, rescue boats approach victims at their vehicles in the Skagit River after the collapse of the Interstate 5 bridge in Mount Vernon, Wash., May 23, 2013.

A bridge connecting the northwestern U.S. state of Washington with Canada's British Columbia has collapsed, causing some injuries to motorists but no deaths.

The four-lane Interstate 5 bridge collapsed Thursday evening local time, sending several vehicles into the shallow water of the Skagit River. People were seen sitting on top of their half-submerged cars waiting for rescue. Several people were taken to hospitals for minor injuries.

There is no word on what triggered the collapse, but the bridge is more than a half-century old, and its design has been deemed outdated by the Federal Highway Administration.

The nation's aging infrastructure has been a topic recently mentioned by President Barack Obama, who advocates channeling more funding into bringing highways and bridges up to date.