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The City of Saskatoon is keeping University Bridge closed until an inspection on Wednesday after a bypass was set up to stop raw sewage spilling into the South Saskatchewan River after a sewer line was damaged by fire on Sunday night.
The city said in a news release on Monday night that a temporary 500-metre bypass line was operational, and arrangements were being made for a contractor to repair the damaged sewer line.
The bridge was closed to traffic on Monday after a fire broke out just before 10 p.m., which the city said started at what appeared to be an encampment at Spadina Crescent and 25th Street East.
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The Saskatoon Fire Department said smoke and flames were visible under the bridge when firefighters arrived, and an update issued just after midnight confirmed the fire had been extinguished with no injuries reported.
Video submitted by the Saskatoon Fire Department shows the efforts to extinguish the "difficult-to-reach fire": pic.twitter.com/oO3H6mqjgp
— 650 CKOM (@CKOMNews) January 20, 2025
“Crews extended a hose line to apply water to the difficult-to-reach fire,” the fire department said in a statement.
“Extreme cold and the location of the fire made it difficult for fire crews to extinguish.”
The city said its engineers had inspected the span and found no structural concerns.
Director of Water and Waste Operations for the City of Saskatoon, Brendan Lemke, said the cold conditions had made repair work challenging.
“With the amount of water that’s been on there, and working with a lot of material with rubber seals on it, we want to make sure that’s done well. The cold has slowed our operations down quite a bit.”
The Water Security Agency and communities downstream have been notified about any potential risks.
Lemke said even when the bridge re-opens, there will still be traffic restrictions for a while until the city can make permanent repairs. and drivers were being asked re-route their commutes.
“Saskatoon Transit will be affected by these detours,” the city noted.
Pedestrians looking to cross the bridge from the south side will still be able to do so but the city said Meewasin Trail underneath the east side of the bridge is closed.
This is not the first time there has been a fire under the bridge. In October, firefighters responded to a blaze at an encampment under the bridge.
In that case, one person was charged arrested and charged with mischief under $5,000.
— with files by 650 CKOM’s Shane Clausing and Will Mandzuk.
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