Fire trucks banned from Decorah bridge

An aging bridge could delay the Decorah fire department’s response to emergencies in one section of the northeast Iowa town. City Administrator Jerry Freund says inspectors found problems with the 5th Avenue bridge on the city’s west side.The inspectors say the bridge can’t hold more than 10 tons. The larger fire trucks weigh as much as 16 tons and won’t be able to use the 80-year-old, one-lane bridge. Fruend says the fire trucks will take an alternate route to fires on the west side.Freund says early spring flooding didn’t help the condition of the bridge, and may’ve made it worse. He says a committee has been formed to study the bridge and its future.