The Rock Island Swing Bridge, historically known for John Dillinger's escape route in Inver Grove Heights, caught fire on Thursday.
Flames from a construction crew's welders triggered the fire around 2 p.m. The bridge was to be re-opened as a pier in three weeks, said the Pioneer Press and the Associated Press.
The bridge was originally constructed in 1895 but was closed due to safety reasons in 1999. There have been supporters of the bridge to organize fundraisers to repair and rebuild the bridge in order to turn it into an overlook and fishing pier, said WCCO.
