Ohio
Cincinnati’s Daniel Carter Beard Bridge fire recalls other fires, disasters on Ohio bridges
A massive fire engulfing the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge and Interstate 471 over the Ohio River might have Cincinnati residents recalling another major blaze that cut a major route between Ohio and Kentucky.
In 2020, the Brent Spence Bridge that carries interstates 71 and 75 across the Ohio River was closed for weeks following a crash that sparked a huge fire.
Here’s a look back at that disaster and other bridge fires and collapses around Ohio.
Fiery crash closes Brent Spence Bridge, I-71/75, over Ohio River for six weeks in 2020
Brent Spence Bridge on I-75 closed after fire, crash
A boat sprays water on a semi on fire on the Brent Spence Bridge early Wednesday. The fire followed a crash involving 2 semis. One truck was carrying potassium hydroxide. The bridge will be closed until it can be inspected.
Emily Rowekamp, Provided
On Nov. 11, 2020, a truck carrying potassium hydroxide crashed into a jackknifed truck on the Brent Spence Bridge, causing a major fire that ended up closing the Ohio River span for six weeks.
According to 911 calls, the Old Dominion semi driver who crashed into a jackknifed truck didn’t have time to grab Hazmat paperwork before fleeing the truck, the Enquirer reported previously.
“It started on fire, and I just jumped out,” he said, telling a dispatcher that he couldn’t grab the paperwork in time.
Neither he nor the driver of the jackknifed rig were injured.
Repairs to the bridge included new steel support beams and new sections of concrete on the upper and lower decks. The U.S. Department of Transportation made $12 million in federal funds available for emergency repairs.
The bridge, which carries more than 160,000 vehicles a day and is one of the busiest trucking routes in the United States, reopened on Dec. 22, 2020.
Tanker catches fire on state Route 8 in Macedonia Saturday
The crash closed the highway both ways.
Tanker crash kills driver, sparks fire on Route 8 ramp to I-271 in January 2024
On Jan. 27, the driver of a diesel tanker was killed after driving off a bridge at the Interstate 271 entrance ramp from state Route 8 north of Akron.
The truck, carrying 7,500 gallons of diesel fuel, exploded, causing a huge fire that closed the bridge for a few days, the Akron Beacon Journal reported. It reopened after inspections showed the damage didn’t affect the bridge’s structural integrity.
Miamitown Bridge collapses during flooding in Cincinnati on May 26, 1989
A temporary bridge over the Great Miami River collapsed during widespread flooding on May 16, 1989, according to media reports, sending four cars into the water. At least two people drowned, WCPO reported.
In November 1990, the National Transportation Safety Board issued a report blaming the Hamilton County Engineer’s Office for three factors that contributed to the bridge collapse, according to WCPO. Those included:
- Selection of a design by National Engineering, the company that built the bridge, that did not consider lateral loads
- Failure to submit the bridge design plans to the Ohio Department of Transportation for review as required by state law
- Failure to promptly close the bridge when it became subject to significant debris loading
Silver Bridge span from Gallipolis collapses into Ohio River on Dec. 15, 1967
The Silver Bridge spanned the Ohio River from Gallipolis to Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Opening to traffic in 1928, it was the first bridge in the nation to use an innovative eyebar-link suspension system rather than a traditional wire-cable suspension, according to West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
However, one of those eyebars had a small, unseen defect. The faulty eyebar eventually cracked and began to corrode, out of sight of the public or bridge inspectors. At about 5 p.m. on December 15—during rush hour—the eyebar failed, setting off a series of other failures that caused the bridge to collapse. Thirty-one vehicles plunged into the Ohio River, killing 46 people.
This story was updated to add a video.
Former Ohio State men’s basketball player J.J. Sullinger paid tribute to former Buckeyes coach Thad Matta’s retirement by revealing that Matta once saved his career.
On March 16, Sullinger took to social media and said that former Ohio State athletic director Andy Geiger wanted him removed from the team before the 2004-05 season.
“When Coach [Thad] Matta was hired … Andy Geiger told him to get rid of me if he ever wanted to be successful… (Said I was a cancer),” Sullinger wrote in an X post.
Sullinger wrote that on Sept. 4, 2004, he was pulled over for suspected driving under the influence. According to Sullinger, he was brought to jail and called Matta around 2:30 a.m. to let him know about the situation. It was the same day that Matta was to be introduced as the new Ohio State coach during the home-opening football game.
“I just knew my career at OSU was over. … We set a meeting for early that next week, Sullinger wrote on the X thread.
Sullinger said he learned about Geiger’s comments “and a bunch of other things” at the meeting with Matta. Instead of removing Sullinger from the team, Matta had three requirements for Sullinger: complete a drug/alcohol abuse program regardless of how he felt; write a handwritten apology to everyone affiliated with the program (including former players); and run five miles a day, five days a week without missing other workouts.
“Needless to say, I completed all 3 things. … Wrote over 350 hand-written apologies, and was in the best shape of my life for my Junior Season,” Sullinger wrote. “Coach [Matta] could have easily gave up on me, but he didn’t and is a big reason I’m where I’m at today!!”
“This and this alone is why I’ll always ride for him. He took a chance on me when literally everyone else was telling him not to … Lol!! I’ll say it worked out well for the both of us!!”” Sullinger continued.”
Sullinger ended up playing his junior and senior years with the Buckeyes under Matta. He averaged 10.1 points and seven rebounds per game in the 2005-06 season, when Matta led Ohio State to a Big Ten regular-season title and the program’s first March Madness bid in four years. The Buckeyes earned a No. 2 seed and made it to the second round before losing to No. 7 Georgetown.
“Proud of my guy and I really hope he enjoys retirement!!” Sullinger wrote in the thread.” He earned that [expletive]!!! I love you, Coach!! “Never get tired of preparing to win!!!”
Matta coached the Buckeyes for 13 seasons and is the winningest coach in program history. Despite retiring from coaching as Butler’s coach, he will remain with the school as special assistant to the president and athletic director.
Ohio State women’s basketball will begin its 2026 NCAA Tournament campaign at the Schottenstein Center against Howard on March 21, marking the fourth consecutive year the Buckeyes earned hosting rights for the opening two rounds.
Despite taking a dip to end the regular season, losing three of their final five games, the Buckeyes’ solid outing at the Big Ten Tournament secured them the No. 3 seed in the Fort Worth 1 region. Ohio State defeated Indiana and Minnesota before falling to the No. 2 team in the nation, UCLA, 72-62 in the semifinals.
The Buckeyes are entering the NCAA Tournament with their focus set on getting out of Columbus for the first time since 2023, as they’ve been eliminated in the second round the past two years.
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But the first step to the Sweet 16 for Ohio State is its matchup against the No. 14 seed Bison, who punched their ticket to the tournament by winning the Mid-Eastern Conference championship.
Here are four predictions for this first-round matchup between Ohio State and Howard:
Ohio State will thrive capitalizing on turnovers
Ohio State finished top-20 nationally in opponent turnovers, forcing 21.4 per game, and recorded an average of 24.4 points off those turnovers. Howard recorded 15 turnovers per game throughout the season, which is a higher average than seven of the opponents the Buckeyes faced this conference play season.
If the Buckeyes can find defensive momentum and force turnovers via their press, the offense should be able to find easy baskets to build an advantage over the Bison.
Jaloni Cambridge needs to bounce back from outing vs UCLA
Ohio State point guard Jaloni Cambridge, who led the Big Ten in scoring with 23.4 points per game, had her worst shooting performance of the season in the semifinals against UCLA.
Going 4 for 14 from the field (28.6%), Cambridge finished with 12 points and missed five shots during the Buckeyes’ attempt to come back in the fourth quarter.
The Buckeyes will need Cambridge to get closer to her average of 49% shooting against Howard, especially with the Bison holding opponents to just 59.9 points per game.
Ohio State, Howard enter matchup evenly matched on the boards
While the Buckeyes’ game on the boards has struggled throughout the season, grabbing just 36.8 per game, Howard is just a slightly better rebounding team on paper, averaging 37.9.
However, Ohio State has seen an uptick in its rebounding game due to the performance of Elsa Lemmila. The 6-foot-6 center averaged 10 rebounds per game in the Big Ten Tournament, and helped the Buckeyes match UCLA on the boards, 34-34.
Lemmila should be able to put together another solid outing while going up against Howard’s 6-foot-2 forward Zennia Thomas, who leads the Bison in rebounds with eight per game.
Ohio State vs Howard prediction: March Madness first round
The Buckeyes are going into the NCAA Tournament with momentum, even with the loss to UCLA, as their 10-point loss margin was the smallest of any team that faced the Bruins in the conference tournament.
While Howard has just seven losses this season, one of those is to Purdue, 92-62. The Buckeyes easily handled Purdue 83-56 behind a combined 30 points from Cambridge and guard Chance Gray.
If Cambridge and Gray have their usual offensive performances, and Ohio State plays Howard closely on the boards, the Buckeyes should be able to advance to the second round for a fifth-straight year.
bmackay@dispatch.com
Thirteen central Ohio high school wrestlers will compete for state championships March 15 at the Schottenstein Center, beginning at 5:15 p.m.
The Dispatch’s Frank DiRenna and Dave Purpura are covering the finals and will have live updates here throughout the event.
Former Westerville North coach inducted into Hall of Fame
Prior to finals, the annual Hall of Fame ceremony was held. One of the inductees was former North coach David Grant. Well deserved.
Central Ohio wrestlers compete for OHSAA state championships
Seven boys and six girls from the Columbus area will compete in the finals, and two of those girls will face off in the 120-pound final.
That match features Mackenzie Carder of Olentangy Orange and Cami Leng of Marysville.
The other finals involving central Ohio girls are:
- 110 – Ashlynn Brokaw (Mount Vernon) vs. Emma Gorrell (Warren)
- 140 – Nora Johnson (Hartley) vs. Emma Shephard (Massillon Perry)
- 145 – Reese Thomas (Jonathan Alder) vs. Naomi Gearheart (Ashland Crestview)
- 155 – KyLee Tibbs (Gahanna Lincoln) vs. Vivienne Legato (Archbold)
Brokaw and Tibbs are going for repeat championships, albeit in different weight classes. Brokaw won at 105 last year, and Tibbs won at 140.
Orange is attempting to win a third consecutive team championship.
These central Ohio boys will compete for state titles:
Division I
- 120 – Oliver Lester (Dublin Coffman) vs. Bradley Bauman (Lakewood St. Edward)
- 126 – Tommy Wurster (Coffman) vs. Grey Burnett (Perrysburg)
Wurster lost in the 113 final last year.
Division II
- 126 – Joe Curry (Licking Valley) vs. Carter Trukovich (Galion)
- 150 – James Lindsay (Watterson) vs. Beau Nezbeth (Beloit West Branch)
- 157 – Tommy Rowlands (Watterson) vs. Jake Hughes (Lisbon Beaver Local)
- 165 – Joel Welch (DeSales) vs. Kamden Stout (Uhrichsville Claymont)
- 215 – Michael Boyle (Watterson) vs. George Eggers (Napoleon)
Boyle, an Ohio State commit, is going for his third consecutive state title and second in a row at 215. Lindsay and Rowlands lost in the finals last year at 150 and 138, respectively, and Welch lost in the 165 final.
Rowlands’ father, also Tommy Rowlands, was a four-time All-American and two-time NCAA champion at Ohio State.
Curry, a senior, won the 120-pound title as a freshman at Watterson.
As a team, Watterson is aiming for its second straight state championship – and second all-time.
High school sports reporters Frank DiRenna and Dave Purpura can be reached at sports@dispatch.com and at @DispatchPreps on X.
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