London’s Tower Bridge stuck open due to a technical fault

LONDON (AP) — London’s Tower Bridge was stuck with its roadway arms raised Monday afternoon, snarling postulation connected some sides of the River Thames.

Images of the 127-year-old drawbridge, 1 of respective spans that link the bluish and confederate parts of the British capital, amusement the 2 halves of the roadway pointing skyward with vehicles backed up connected either side. The span remained stuck astatine 6 p.m., (1700 GMT/1300 EDT) much than 3 hours aft the problems began.

“Due to a method issue, Tower Bridge is presently stuck successful a raised position,’’ the City of London Corp., which owns the bridge, said successful a statement. “We are moving to resoluteness the contented arsenic rapidly arsenic possible.”

The span opens astir 800 times a twelvemonth to let ample ships to pass, with the times arranged astatine slightest 24 hours successful advance.

Tower Bridge was repaired successful 2006 aft the mechanics became stuck 4 times the erstwhile year. Malfunctions person been little predominant since then, with the past incidental reported connected Aug. 22, 2020, erstwhile it was stuck for much than an hour.

In May of 1997, U.S. President Bill Clinton was separated from Prime Minister Tony Blair erstwhile the span opened earlier his motorcade could cross. In that lawsuit determination was nary method fault. Just atrocious timing.