Ten people were on a pedestrian bridge over Walker Creek in Giles County when it collapsed early Sunday afternoon, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.

State Police Sgt. Mike Conroy said that nine of the 10 people were taken to Carilion Giles Memorial Hospital. One person suffered serious injuries while the rest had non-life-threatening injuries. The group included a mix of adults and children, Conroy said.

The bridge over Virginia 749 (Patterson Ford Road) collapsed about 2 p.m. The bridge is a swinging pedestrian bridge that is used primarily during flooding and is near Virginia 811 (Bane Road).

VDOT crews worked Sunday to secure the area near the pedestrian bridge and gather information about what caused it to collapse.

VDOT spokeswoman Heidi Coy said that the bridge was rebuilt in 1992 after portions of it were washed away by floodwaters. The bridge is made of cable and wood and is approximately 100 feet long and 30 feet above the water.

Coy said that several of the people on the bridge ended up in the water below, but she wasn't sure how many. She added that the water level was roughly 3 to 4 feet.

All bridges in Virginia are inspected at least once every two years. The Virginia 749 bridge was last inspected in May 2007 and found to be in good condition, Coy said.

There is no person or weight limit on the bridge, and there are very few such pedestrian bridges left, Coy said.

"Fortunately, this is kid of rare," Conroy said.

-- Jessica Marcy