Fire outside UNC Hospitals closes bridge to parking deck

A bridge linking UNC Hospitals with the Dogwood Parking Deck was closed Monday after a fire underneath the walkway left it damaged.

Five golf carts were destroyed in the fire, according to Tom Hughes, a spokesman for UNC Hospitals. He said the blaze happened at 2:30 a.m. in a parking lot about 100 yards from the front of the hospital.

Firefighters from Chapel Hill extinguished the flames in about 15 minutes, and no one was hurt.

Investigators said the fire started with a battery malfunction on a golf cart parked near the valet stand outside the hospital.

Visitors are advised to use care in crossing Manning Drive at street level, as the traffic signal is also out.