A second dumpster filled with flammable cooking oil was discovered under a Tri-State bridge, raising concerns more than a year after a major fire beneath the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge.
The WCPO 9 I-Team inspected highway bridges across the Cincinnati area and first found a dumpster of used cooking oil under an Interstate 75 bridge in Lockland in January.
Last week, the team identified another dumpster beneath the Taylor Southgate Bridge along Riverboat Row in Newport during a tour of Northern Kentucky bridges and overpasses.
“That’s Newport that’s controlling that, and I talked to them about that today (March 13), and they are going to move that from out from under the bridge,” said Bob Yeager, chief engineer for Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 6. “I don’t know if it’s dangerous or threatening at this point, but there is potential that exists … so they’re going to have that moved, and I think that’s appropriate at this time to do that.”
A spokesperson later confirmed the dumpster had been removed.
The Ohio Department of Transportation also responded after the earlier discovery.
“That’s a fire hazard right there … that needed to be removed immediately,” said Kathleen Fuller, noting the issue was quickly addressed once identified.
The I-Team has focused on bridges known for storing hazardous materials since December 2024, particularly after the fire at the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge on Nov. 1, 2024. The blaze began at a playground in Sawyer Point Park beneath the bridge and burned for hours, warping steel beams and causing at least $10 million in damage.
The bridge remained closed for 100 days, leading to major traffic disruptions. Four individuals were later convicted in connection with the fire.
Following similar incidents, the Federal Highway Administration urged inspectors nationwide to monitor flammable materials stored beneath bridges, prompting increased inspections.
During earlier inspections in Hamilton County, crews found multiple hazards, including wooden pallets, tires, mattresses, trash piles, and even a dumpster of oil. However, inspections in Northern Kentucky revealed fewer risks and no homeless encampments.
Yeager said most of the region’s more than 1,400 bridges are not easily accessible, limiting misuse. Still, officials are focusing on larger urban bridges like I-75 and I-471, where storage is more common.
Under an I-471 overpass near Newport High School, inspectors found around 100 parked vehicles, two dumpsters, and three storage containers. Officials said the area is city-controlled and used for school parking, with safeguards in place to protect bridge structures.
Investigators also found construction materials, including large pipes, stored under I-275 near Gateway Community and Technical College. Officials said such storage is allowed under permits, provided safety rules are followed.
In Maysville, stacks of wooden pallets were discovered under the Simon Kenton Memorial Bridge. Officials from the relevant district have not yet commented.
Authorities emphasized that while some storage is permitted, improper handling—especially of flammable materials—poses the greatest risk to bridge safety.
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