Macdonald Bridge to stay closed overnight due to damaged crane

Crane damage closes Halifax bridge Thursday A damaged crane in Dartmouth, N.S., closed the Macdonald Bridge on Thursday.

The Macdonald Bridge will remain closed overnight due to a nearby damaged crane.

Halifax Regional Police is helping the Department of Labour with the crane in the Faulkner Street area. Police say homes on Faulkner Street will remain evacuated until a collar to help remove the crane is installed.

The area surrounding that street – along with Lyle Street, Windmill Road and Wyse Road – is closed until further notice. Dawson Street, which is to the right of the crane, has been reopened.

“The Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration is closely monitoring an incident at a construction site on Wyse Road in Dartmouth,” said Sarah MacNeil, communications advisor with the Nova Scotia Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration, in an email to CTV News.

“Three stop work orders have been issued: one for the crane, a second for taking the crane down once it is stabilized and a third for the evacuation and to make sure no work takes place on the site as well as two construction sites close by.”

MacNeil adds no injuries have been reported and the department has no further information to share at this time.

The Halifax Regional Municipality says roughly 25 people have been evacuated from the area as a precaution. The Canadian Red Cross is offering support to those people.

Police say 12 homes will remain evacuated overnight.

Halifax Harbour Bridges says the Macdonald Bridge will remain closed to all traffic, pedestrians and cyclists "as a result of the unstable crane at a nearby construction site."

"We do not know if the bridge will re-open for Friday morning rush hour," said Halifax Harbour Bridges communications advisor Kelly Shiers. "We will provide updates."

Steven Proctor, communications manager with Halifax Harbour Bridges, said police asked them to evacuate two of their buildings. The immediate neighbourhood has also been evacuated.

Due to the bridge closure, Halifax Transit is allowing cyclists to ride on buses and the ferry for free until further notice.

For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page.