Bridge falls into Mississippi River

Macfanforever · #1 08-01-2007, 09:15 PM

From Yahoo News

By PATRICK CONDON, Associated Press Writer 2 minutes ago

MINNEAPOLIS - At least one person died Wednesday and 28 were injured when an interstate bridge collapsed into the Mississippi River during evening rush hour, a hospital doctor said.

Dr. Joseph Clinton, emergency medical chief at the Hennepin County Medical Center, said among the injured treated by the hospital, six were in critical condition.

Clinton said it appeared the person who died had drowned in the collapse. Other area hospitals were also seeing victims.

The Interstate 35W bridge, a major link between Minneapolis and St. Paul, was in the midst of being repaired when it broke into several huge sections during rush hour.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The entire span of an interstate bridge collapsed into the Mississippi River during evening rush hour Wednesday, sending vehicles, tons of concrete and twisted metal crashing into the water.

The Interstate 35W bridge, a major link between Minneapolis and St. Paul, was in the midst of being repaired when it broke into several huge sections.

"There were two lanes of traffic, bumper to bumper, at the point of the collapse. Those cars did go into the river," Minneapolis Police Lt. Amelia Huffman. "At this point there is nothing to suggest that this was anything other than a structural collapse."

The Homeland Security Department had received no indications Wednesday night that the collapse was related to an act of terrorism, department spokesman Russ Knocke said in Washington.

"At this time, there's no indication of a nexus to terrorism," Knocke said.

It was not clear how many people were injured. WCCO-AM reported that one body was seen being pulled from the area, covered with a blue sheet.

An estimated 50 vehicles plunged into the water and onto the land below, the Star-Tribune reported.

A burning truck and a school bus clung to one slanted slab,

The bus had just crossed the bridge before it crumpled into pieces, and broadcast reports indicated the children on the bus exited out the back door.

Ramon Houge told the St. Paul Pioneer Press that he was on his way home from work on the bridge when he heard a rumbling noise, saw the ground collapse and cars go down.

Traffic was bumper to bumper and hundreds of people would have been involved, he said. He said cars backed up as best they could and he parked in a construction zone and was finally able to turn around and drive off the bridge. "It didn't seem like it was real," he said.

Dozens of vehicles were scattered and stacked on top of each other amid the rubble. Some people were stranded on parts of the bridge that aren't completely in the water.

Local television stations captured video of injured people being carried up the riverbank. There was no official word on injuries, but dozens of rescue vehicles were there. Divers were also in the water.

Gregory Wernick Sr., Rockford, Ill., drove over the bridge shortly before the collapse. He stopped to get a drink nearby and heard commotion so he went back.

"I figure I crossed about 10 minutes before it happened," he said. "That's just too close to call."

He was standing about 200 feet away on top of a parking ramp with large group of people.

"I've never seen anything like this," he said.

The arched bridge, which was built in 1967, rises about 64 feet above the river. Workers have been repairing the 40-year-old bridge's surface as part of improvements along that stretch of the interstate, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported on its Web site.

gldstwmn · #2 08-01-2007, 09:51 PM

The photos and video are horrifying. Before I left the house this evening I happened to hear that we have spent 1 trillion dollars in Iraq. The infrasturcture of our cities is crumbling. When is is going to end?
Also I understand that the governor vetoed a bill to raise the gas tax by 5 cents to fund road repairs. There hasn't been an increase in the tax in 20 years.
WTF?

mikeschmike · #3 08-01-2007, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

The photos and video are horrifying. Before I left the house this evening I happened to hear that we have spent 1 trillion dollars in Iraq. The infrasturcture of our cities is crumbling. When is is going to end?
Also I understand that the governor vetoed a bill to raise the gas tax by 5 cents to fund road repairs. There hasn't been an increase in the tax in 20 years.
WTF?

There had been an extremely large number of construction projects here this summer. I'm not too sure of where the funding came from, but crews were working on just about every major roadway in the metro area. They had been repairing the pavement on 35W since the middle of June, and the bridge was looking pretty hacked the last few days.

The whole thing is just unreal.

gldstwmn · #4 08-01-2007, 10:06 PM

michelle2677 · #5 08-01-2007, 10:17 PM

this is such a horrible thing

I hope there are no other deaths, but I'm sure that is pretty unlikely.

mike-so glad you're okay, dumplin'

Sarah · #6 08-01-2007, 10:24 PM

so horrifying.

mikeschmike · #7 08-01-2007, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michelle2677

this is such a horrible thing

I hope there are no other deaths, but I'm sure that is pretty unlikely.

the count is up to six now, and they have officially called it a recovery mode at this point. i hope it doesn't get much higher then that. officials are saying that it will take two years to get the bridge back in action.

Quote:

mike-so glad you're okay, dumplin'

thanks honey. glad you're okay too.

estranged4life · #8 08-01-2007, 10:48 PM

This reminds me of the I-40 bridge collapse at Webber's Falls a few years ago when a tugboat collided with the bridge supports and damaged the bridge crossing the Arkansas River.

JazmenFlowers · #9 08-01-2007, 10:58 PM

I'm so glad you are ok Mikey. my heart about dropped.

mikeschmike · #10 08-01-2007, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JazmenFlowers

I'm so glad you are ok Mikey. my heart about dropped.

Oh yeah, it'll take a lot more then structual failure to get rid of me!

Macfanforever · #11 08-01-2007, 11:10 PM

This brings back nightmares from the 1983, I-95 Mianus River Bridge collapse in Greenwich CT.

This is from the New York Times Archives.

I-95 Bridge Collapse Sends Cars Into River

Published: June 28, 1983

At least two tractor-trailer trucks and two passenger cars went into the Mianus River early this morning when a Connecticut Turnpike bridge over it collapsed, the Connecticut state police said.

It was unclear whether there were any fatalities connected with the collapse of two or three eastbound lanes of I-95 around 1:30 A.M. at the Greenwich crossing.

But there were reports that two people had been picked up alive by boats, according to a state police spokesman.

Early this morning, as divers prepared to enter the river and other workers attempted to shore up the remaining sections of the bridge, Trooper John McLeod, the spokesman, said that all traffic on the bridge had been halted and that repairs would take days or weeks.

There was no immediate explanation as to why the bridge collapsed.

From Wikipedia site The Cause,

The collapse was caused by the failure of two pin-and-hanger assemblies that held the deck in place on the outer side of the bridge. The hanger on the inside part of the expansion joint at the southeast corner was forced from the pin that was holding it, and the load was shifted to the only other pin in the joint. The problem was caused by rust formation within the bearing on the pin, exerting a tremendous force on the hanger. The extra load on the remaining pin started a fatigue crack at a sharp corner on the pin. It failed catastrophically and the deck was then supported at just three corners.

When two heavy trucks and a car entered the section, the remaining expansion joint failed and the deck crashed into the river below. The ensuing investigation cited corrosion from water buildup due to inadequate drainage as a cause. The highway drains had been deliberately blocked during roadmending some 10 years before, and water leaked down through the pin bearings, causing them to rust. The outer bearings were safety-critical and non-redundant, a design flaw of this particular type of structure. The bearings were difficult to inspect close-up, although traces of rust could be seen near the affected bearings.

gldstwmn · #12 08-02-2007, 12:28 AM

CNN is reporting 50 cars still in the river.

GODDESS6 · #13 08-02-2007, 05:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeschmike

Oh yeah, it'll take a lot more then structual failure to get rid of me!

glad to know you are safe~ what a tragedy this is~

DavidMn · #14 08-02-2007, 06:16 AM

I was coming from Roseville to go to the Twins baseball game last night. I crossed that bridge at 5:57 P.M. It came down at 6:05 P.M. There but for grace of god go I. This is very hard for me right now. I havent slept all night knowing I came less than 10 minutes from being on it when it went down. I cant even begin to explain what I'm feeling right now.

irishgrl · #15 08-02-2007, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidMn

I was coming from Roseville to go to the Twins baseball game last night. I crossed that bridge at 5:57 P.M. It came down at 6:05 P.M. There but for grace of god go I. This is very hard for me right now. I havent slept all night knowing I came less than 10 minutes from being on it when it went down. I cant even begin to explain what I'm feeling right now.