Workman Killed as New Concrete Bridge Arch Falls

MINNEAPOLIS — A freshly poured concrete support arch on a bridge connecting Minneapolis and St. Paul fell into the Mississippi River, killing a construction worker.

Several employees of C.S. McCrossan Construction Inc. were inspecting the arch when a 200-foot piece gave way Tuesday, dropping more than 100 tons of concrete and debris, authorities said.

Robert A. Moser, 45, suffered multiple injuries and may have died before he hit the water 90 feet below, said Gary Kaldun, an investigator with the Hennepin County medical examiner’s office.

At least one other worker plunged into the water but was not seriously hurt, police said.

The $15.7-million bridge was being built to replace an adjacent span about 100 years old. The two bridges are less than 20 feet apart. State Transportation Commissioner Leonard Levine said the cause of the collapse was not known.