Stage Canopy On Barge Hits Bridge

The overhead canopy of a stage previously used at a Chattanooga, Tenn., music festival brushed the underside of the Interstate 24 bridge over Nickajack Lake, an impoundment of the Tennessee River, on July 7 as it was being carried by barge, causing the canopy to collapse.

The barge was being pushed by a towboat when the Coca-Cola stage, previously used at Chattanooga’s Riverbend Festival, hit a navigation light hanging from the side of the bridge, according to the Tennessee Department of Transportation.

The only damage to the bridge was to the light, TDOT said, adding that the navigation light fixture bracing would need to be replaced in the future.

The bridge is located in Marion County, Tenn.

The stage was on its way downriver to be sold to a new company when the incident took place.

Caption for photo: Collapsed canopy of Riverbend stage after it struck the I-24 bridge. (Photo by Keith McLean)