Province will rebuild Kamloops, B.C., bridge after fire, Eby says

Four days after a fire destroyed a historic bridge into Kamloops, B.C., officials are pondering the future of the site, with the leader of the B.C. NDP saying another bridge will "absolutely" be built. 

The Red Bridge, an 88-year-old wooden truss bridge that connected the City of Kamloops to the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc reserve caught fire early last Thursday and collapsed into the South Thompson River. 

"We're going to be replacing that bridge; and obviously, [it is] a huge inconvenience and a bit of a nightmare logistically for both the First Nation and the City of Kamloops," B.C. NDP Leader David Eby told CBC News in an email.

The bridge was in bad repair, residents said. RCMP said they are investigating the fire as an arson. 

Many were concerned about the environmental effects of the bridge's treated wood falling into the major waterway, though the City of Kamloops said the quality of drinking water has not been affected.

In an email to CBC News, Murray Sinclair, a spokesperson for B.C.'s Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, said the ministry will be posting updates about the bridge on a webpage dedicated to the fire.

In an update Sunday, the province said an environmental officer saw less debris in the water, and log booms were stopping large pieces of debris from moving downriver. It says efforts to remove debris from the river will continue, and it has not yet detected any effect on water quality of fish health. 

WATCH | Fire engulfs the Red Bridge: 

Red Bridge in Kamloops, B.C., destroyed by fire

2 months ago

Duration 1:46

An early morning fire has destroyed a historic and vital link over the South Thompson River in Kamloops. The Red Bridge collapsed early Thursday morning and, as Jessica Wallace reports, Kamloops RCMP believe the incident was suspicious.  

Jason Hwang, vice-president of salmon programs for the Pacific Salmon Foundation, told CBC's Daybreak Kamloops that the size of the South Thompson River may have diluted any harmful substances falling into the water. 

"When I looked in the water, I could still see some little fish swimming around," he said. "I didn't see any dead invertebrates or anything like that."

Hwang says there were no visible signs of a water quality issue, or significant obstacles fo salmon migration. He added the peak of the risk has likely passed.

"We might have gotten lucky with this one," he said. "I didn't see anything that looked significantly alarming."