Vermont State Police are investigating a suspicious fire the agency says left a covered bridge impassable on Saturday.
The wooden covered bridge connecting the small Addison County towns of Cornwall and Salisbury was completely engulfed in flames when troopers arrived shortly before 3 p.m., Vermont State Police said.
The volunteer fire departments from Salisbury and Cornwall were already on scene when crews arrived, police said.
The bridge connects Swamp Road in Cornwall with Creek Road in Salisbury, and enables motorists to cross the Otter Creek.
According to coveredbridgesite.com, a website dedicated to the appreciation of historic covered bridges, the Cornwall-Salisbury bridge was built in 1865, with a pier added in 1970.
The website says the 136-foot-long, one-lane structure is known by several names, including the Station Bridge, Creek Road Bridge, Cedar Swamp Bridge, and Salisbury Station Bridge.
The cause of the fire is still unknown, investigators said, but they did describe it as suspicious.
Vermont
The latest news from around the state
Motorists are urged to seek alternative routes due to the bridge being shut down.
