Queensboro Bridge still has not recovered from August fire

From CBS New York:

Repairs and delays continue on the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge more than a month since a massive truck fire left part of the span seriously charred.

The Queens-bound right lane on the upper level of the bridge has been closed since a 40-foot tractor-trailer carrying wooden, plastic and metal clothes hangers burst into flames last month.

It took about an hour for firefighters to extinguish the blaze.

In a statement to 1010 WINS, the Department of Transportation said the blaze was “hot enough to melt steel” and said it needs to construct a special beam in order to complete the repairs.

“Work continues on repairs to the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge following a truck fire on August 16th,” the statement said. ”DOT Bridges is fabricating two 26-feet-long, 1.5-ton custom steel beams in its shop in Brooklyn.”

The DOT said the lanes are tentatively scheduled to reopen in October.