Minneapolis Interstate Bridge Collapse

[le harry]

Thought i'd post it here as well as in the World News forum as not many people check that forum.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/08/01/ap/national/main3124785.shtml

9 confirmed fatalities (deaths - expected to rise much more)
20+ missing
many casualites



AP) An interstate bridge suddenly broke into huge sections and collapsed into the Mississippi River during bumper-to-bumper traffic Wednesday, killing at least six people and 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 collapsed.

"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."

Jamie Winegar of Houston said she was sitting in traffic when all of a sudden she started hearing "boom, boom, boom and we were just dropping, dropping, dropping, dropping."

The car she was riding in landed on top of a smaller car but did not fall into the water. She said her nephew yelled, "'It's an earthquake!' and then we realized the bridge was collapsing."

Mayor R.T. Rybak said at least six people were killed. There were no immediate reports on the total number of injured, but Dr. Joseph Clinton, emergency medical chief at Hennepin County Medical Center, said the hospital treated 28 injured people _ including six who were in critical condition.

Other hospitals also were treating the injured. Clinton said at least one of the victims had drowned.

The arched bridge, which was built in 1967, rises about 64 feet above the river. 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.

Christine Swift's 10-year-old daughter, Kaleigh, was on the bus, returning from a field trip to Bunker Hills in suburban Blaine. She said her daughter called her about 6:10 p.m.

"She was screaming, 'The bridge collapsed,'" Swift said.

She said a police officer told her all the kids got off the bus safely.

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.

Melissa Hughes, 32, of Minneapolis said she was driving home across the bridge when she went down when the western edge in the collapse.

"You know that free fall feeling? I felt that twice," said Hughes, who was not injured.

A pickup ended up on top of her car, partially crushing the top and back end.

"I had no idea there was a vehicle on my car," she said. "It's really very surreal."

Many motorist could have been headed to the Minnesota Twins game scheduled not far from the bridge, but the game was postponed, team president Dave St. Peter said.

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.

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.

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.

Homeland Security Department spokesman Russ Knocke also said the collapse did not appear to be terrorism-related.

http://wwwimage.cbsnews.com/images/2007/08/01/image3124787.jpg


http://wwwimage.cbsnews.com/images/2007/08/01/image3124786.jpg

There are lots more images but these are just whats been posted on the site.

[LeftForDead]

Woah it collapsed twice:|
Terroism?

[-Wolverine]

Woah it collapsed twice:|
Terroism?
Nope.
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/world/bridge-collapse-not-terrorism/2007/08/02/1185648022062.html

It was rush hour and the bridge was I think around 30 years old.

The wierd part is that about 3 weeks ago my parents were planning to go to Minneapolis but then decided we needed to cancel just a few days ago.

[LeftForDead]

Thats not as bad then, what i dont get is that they must not of been checking it our anything because there is a bridge near me that wasnt touching the bottem in the middle because over the years the posts had had the dirt washed away. And they only found that out because they were adding another bit to the bridge!

[Shawnstra]

Probs not strong enough, they should build a temporary bridge for now and make a better bridge.

[Technologic]

o_o I heard on bbc news that 9 people have died. That's scary as hell.

[le harry]

Probs not strong enough, they should build a temporary bridge for now and make a better bridge.

A temporary bridge? So it just falls down again..:rolleyes:
-------------------------------------------------

They think erosion from the river wore away some of the support.

[ShaneIsMe]

i personally think that America "exaggerate" alot, sure this is a bad thing but they make it sound much worse. It has happened a few times, 9/11 (that was like "OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG A PLANE HIT THE BUILDING") and then the massacre shootings in march i think it was, and now this. They always make it 100 times bigger than it really is.

[RedStratocas]

i personally think that America "exaggerate" alot, sure this is a bad thing but they make it sound much worse. It has happened a few times, 9/11 (that was like "OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG A PLANE HIT THE BUILDING") and then the massacre shootings in march i think it was, and now this. They always make it 100 times bigger than it really is.

why is "exaggerate" in quotation marks? is it a made up word? are you quoting someone?

i hate it when people say "america sure does [whatever here]" like its the actual country itself. who are you talking about when you say "they"? because this just happened yesterday, and the majority of the population isn't doing anything but watching the news? who are we exaggerating to? i dont understand what you're trying to say.

[-:Undertaker:-]

i personally think that America "exaggerate" alot, sure this is a bad thing but they make it sound much worse. It has happened a few times, 9/11 (that was like "OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG A PLANE HIT THE BUILDING") and then the massacre shootings in march i think it was, and now this. They always make it 100 times bigger than it really is.

Yeah the death of 3,000 people within minutes isn't big news :rolleyes:

[Jack.]

I saw this on FOX News. Pretty bad.

[RedStratocas]

i cant imagine being on that bridge while it was happening. i would have no idea what was going on.

[PaulMacC]

Thats terrible, RIP to the victims.

[Luckyrare]

very sad x[

BUT...

Just got to love those americans: always looking to blame or sue someone for crap thats happend.

Terrorist, then engineers, then maintainers: then anyone else they can think of who could of done it.

South Park shows is well in the "Two days before the day after tomorrow" episode

[Jord]

I saw it yesterday on the news around 6 - 7 am I cant remember around5 - 12 people died =[

[CrazyColaist]

oh god :l

[ShaneIsMe]

Yeah the death of 3,000 people within minutes isn't big news :rolleyes:
of course it is big news but they will explode the news to make it sound 100 times worse than it really is

[RedStratocas]

very sad x[

BUT...

Just got to love those americans: always looking to blame or sue someone for crap thats happend.

Terrorist, then engineers, then maintainers: then anyone else they can think of who could of done it.

South Park shows is well in the "Two days before the day after tomorrow" episode

hows that a bad thing in cases like this? the south park episode was aimed at people blaming the president for hurricane katrina. but if the bridge was faulty, it was someone's fault and we need to place blame somewhere so something like this doesnt happen again. it isnt just mean stuff or just a need to blame people for our own feeling of self-glory, it's so we can prevent bridge collapses in the future.


of course it is big news but they will explode the news to make it sound 100 times worse than it really is

who's they?

[Krusty]

i personally think that America "exaggerate" alot, sure this is a bad thing but they make it sound much worse. It has happened a few times, 9/11 (that was like "OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG A PLANE HIT THE BUILDING") and then the massacre shootings in march i think it was, and now this. They always make it 100 times bigger than it really is.
Loads of people died from a group of people tryina be clever...

im sure you dont have anything better that would go on the news?

if your house blew up for no reason youd' be lk OGMMOGMOGMOGOMGOMOMGMOGOMG

[MangoJ]

i personally think that America "exaggerate" alot, sure this is a bad thing but they make it sound much worse. It has happened a few times, 9/11 (that was like "OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG A PLANE HIT THE BUILDING") and then the massacre shootings in march i think it was, and now this. They always make it 100 times bigger than it really is.

No, they don't make things 100 times bigger than they really are. You're a ******* idiot. Kill yourself. Trust me, no one will be going "OMG OMG OMG", everyone will be cheering and celebrating.

[lAdmire]

This is horrible. The bridge was 40 years old though. I think they said 75 people were injured, 7 dead. That's quite a tragedy. Just getting out alive is like a surprise to me. After the bridge dropped into the Mississipi [sp?] River. Wow. They should be VERY thankful they made it out alive.

[-Soph-]

I read something last night when it happened about them calling off the resue operations because it was dark... I wonder why they did that, it's not as if they couldn't of used flashlights etc.

[Luckyrare]

hows that a bad thing in cases like this? the south park episode was aimed at people blaming the president for hurricane katrina. but if the bridge was faulty, it was someone's fault and we need to place blame somewhere so something like this doesnt happen again. it isnt just mean stuff or just a need to blame people for our own feeling of self-glory, it's so we can prevent bridge collapses in the future.

I am not saying its a bad thing, just backward. Regarding the south park, I not talking about the full situation just the fact as soon as something happens the blaim game starts rather than been proactive at that point in time.


For example: Bush did a press statement - before saying anything about death or anything he went onto blaim and then later the mayor came on talking about crime scenes. Once all the bodies are out and then know that, then start talking if there is anyone to blaim.

Heat, steel, expanding, concrete, peek traffic - your asking for trouble.

[le harry]

I read something last night when it happened about them calling off the resue operations because it was dark... I wonder why they did that, it's not as if they couldn't of used flashlights etc.

They had flashlights and everything, but they couldn't carry on the operations because it was too dangerous. There was debree from the bridge and cars everywhere. I imagine there would of been a lot of sharp objects etc.

Also, I think Shaneisme means that the media blow it up tonnes to make it sound worse then it already is.

[-Soph-]

i personally think that America "exaggerate" alot, sure this is a bad thing but they make it sound much worse. It has happened a few times, 9/11 (that was like "OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG A PLANE HIT THE BUILDING") and then the massacre shootings in march i think it was, and now this. They always make it 100 times bigger than it really is.

How is saying "OMG OMG etc., a plane hit the building" exaggerating it at all?

[RedStratocas]

I read something last night when it happened about them calling off the resue operations because it was dark... I wonder why they did that, it's not as if they couldn't of used flashlights etc.

well those rescue operations are dangerous enough as it is during the day, the night is probably horrific.


I am not saying its a bad thing, just backward. Regarding the south park, I not talking about the full situation just the fact as soon as something happens the blaim game starts rather than been proactive at that point in time.


For example: Bush did a press statement - before saying anything about death or anything he went onto blaim and then later the mayor came on talking about crime scenes. Once all the bodies are out and then know that, then start talking if there is anyone to blaim.

Heat, steel, expanding, concrete, peek traffic - your asking for trouble.

the only people who are blaming others are people who have nothing to do with the rescue operations [ie the media], you can be sure the rescuers aren't worrying.

[-Soph-]

i personally think that America "exaggerate" alot, sure this is a bad thing but they make it sound much worse. It has happened a few times, 9/11 (that was like "OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG A PLANE HIT THE BUILDING") and then the massacre shootings in march i think it was, and now this. They always make it 100 times bigger than it really is.


I can't see how repeatively saying "OMG" is exaggerating when it comes to something as big as 9/11, I can't recall anyone in the studio doing that anyway, just the news reporters at the scene, and i'm sure you'd be doing the same thing if that was you.

And Virgina Tech? How was that exaggerated?


I've never really came across things like that being exaggerated, the only thing I often see exaggerated is celebrity news, and even then it depends what you read/watch.

[ShaneIsMe]

9/11 was massive but seriously, it didn't have to be on the news for a whole week. Same like the virginia tech, wow 30 people were killed... heaps of people die iraq and **** but no that isn't massive...

[le harry]

9/11 was massive but seriously, it didn't have to be on the news for a whole week. Same like the virginia tech, wow 30 people were killed... heaps of people die iraq and **** but no that isn't massive...

Virginia Tech was a completly irregular and unexpected thing though, school massacre's make good media coverage that's why it's always on the news and stuff. The stuff in the middle east happens everyday so it's no suprise when you see that people die there.

[RedStratocas]

9/11 was massive but seriously, it didn't have to be on the news for a whole week. Same like the virginia tech, wow 30 people were killed... heaps of people die iraq and **** but no that isn't massive...

are you serious? a week? what other news would they show during a time like that? "well john, 3000 people died, but you have to see this video of a water skiing squirrel!"

i dont think you quite understand the news. first off, 9/11 was talked about for much much much more than a week. second, it is one of the top 3 biggest events to ever happen in U.S. history, changing our foreign policy, our view of the world and all american's perception of their own safety. it deserved all the coverage it got.

and the news doesnt depend on how many people died, it depends on the nature of those deaths. if it depended on how many people died for the same reason, the headlines every day would be heart disease. Virginia Tech was news because of the nature of it; no one expects a gunman to start shooting in a school, but iraq is a war zone, so those things are bound to happen.

[-Soph-]

9/11 was massive but seriously, it didn't have to be on the news for a whole week. Same like the virginia tech, wow 30 people were killed... heaps of people die iraq and **** but no that isn't massive...

I can't believe you..
I'm not even bother going to say anything, redstratocas pretty much summed it up.

[ShaneIsMe]

I can't believe you..
I'm not even bother going to say anything, redstratocas pretty much summed it up.

you just said something by replying to my post.

@Red, you are a typical american, your head is so far up your *** you only think of what happens in the US just like all you other yanke ******s.

i dont give the biggest **** to come out of my *** about this thread so reply with what ever you want i won't reply anymore.

and lol@who ever -repped me with out leaving your name, a you scared :(?

[-Soph-]

If you read through his posts then I think you'd find that his head is not far up his ***.