Propane tanker pulled from creek after bridge collapse in Lower Macungie

L. MACUNGIE TWP., Pa. -  It took more than eight hours, but a propane tanker that partially plummeted into the Little Lehigh Creek when a bridge over it collapsed has finally been pulled from the water.

Now, Pennsylvania State Police are investigating whether the truck was “in compliance.”

The driver is OK, but the bridge remains off-limits. Officials say an engineer must inspect the structure before any further action is taken.

When asked whether charges could be filed, State Police said troopers are conducting an inspection of the truck. The bridge’s posted weight limit is five tons. The propane truck could have been carrying up to 16 tons.

A tense moment was caught on camera as the propane tanker dangled above the creek, leaving onlookers visibly anxious.

“If something goes wrong, it’s really going to go wrong,” one person was heard saying.

The truck hovered for more than two minutes before it was safely placed on the ground. Its removal required hours of planning, propane offloading, and a heavy-duty crane.

“I was curious what they were doing in the first place,” said Carolyn O’Steen, a nearby resident. “You can’t even have two cars on there.”

The wooden bridge’s collapse sparked concern across the community.

“I heard it was a bridge collapse. I kind of had to see that,” said Luke Song, another resident.

“It’s sad, it’s shocking,” added O’Steen.

People are also worried about the impact on the Wildlands Conservancy, which manages the land surrounding the creek, and the wildlife and water quality.

“Whatever was in the truck, that’s right above water. That’s a little concerning,” one person said.

Chris Kocher, president of the Wildlands Conservancy, said his first concern was for the safety of those involved.

The driver was initially trapped inside but was safely rescued and is expected to be okay.

Still, many are asking why a propane truck was on a bridge with such a low weight limit.

“It’s a small bridge and it’s wooden,” said resident Liam Tattersall. “It’s part of your job to know what you can and can’t do.”

Access to the Dorothy Rider Pool Wildlife Sanctuary, more than 77 acres of protected land, is currently cut off. The sanctuary is used as an outdoor classroom and hosts thousands of children every year, according to the website.

“We’re hoping to get back to business as soon as we can,” said Kocher. “I ask the community to bear with us as we work through this situation.”

“It’s our secret way to get to the South Mall,” said Caroline, a local resident. “So I’m going to miss using that to get to Ross.”

Officials say no propane or diesel spilled into the creek. The investigation is ongoing. Authorities are looking into whether the truck was out of compliance and whether there were any structural weaknesses in the bridge.

State Police say they expect to release more information on the incident Wednesday.