Demolition crews arrive at collapsed bridge

SKAGIT COUNTY -- Demolition crews arrived at the collapsed Skagit River Bridge Saturday night to begin clean-up of the fallen span of I-5.

The first of two barges delivered a 150 ton crane as well as heavy cutting and lifting equipment.  The second barge will arrive on Sunday.

Divers will also go into the water Sunday to hook up the equipment to the partially submerged vehicles so they can be hauled out of the way.

Kris Olsen of WSDOT said Saturday night that pieces of debris, still in the water, will need to be removed carefully because the National Transportation Safety Board wants to examine them.

"So, we can't just pull them out.  We have to very carefully cut them and remove them," Olsen said.  "We'll keep doing that, it's like an underwater puzzle that they have to untangle."

WSDOT officials said the task will be tedious, and last several days.  Once complete, they will get to work designing an option for repairing the bridge.