Bridge collapses into Mississippi

[XGhozt 410]

A freeway bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota, collapsed Wednesday, killing at least three people and plunging cars and chunks of concrete into the Mississippi River below, CNN reported.

 

Television footage showed that the central section of the eight-lane bridge caved in, leaving some survivors and cars stranded on parts that are not completely submerged.

 

The Interstate 35W bridge collapsed at about 6:05 p.m. local time (2205 GMT).

 

A tractor-trailer caught fire with heavy black smoke billowing into the sky.

 

The state Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department said there were "lots" of injuries and there were 50 to 100 cars on the bridge at the time.

 

It was still not clear at this point what caused the collapse.

 

Media reports said a school bus filled with children was on the bridge when it collapsed, but they also said the bus did not drop into the water and it appeared that the children had all been evacuated.

 

Nighttime construction took place on the bridge Tuesday night and was to take place again Wednesday night, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

 

The highway would have been restricted to a single lane in both directions from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. both nights.

 

In Washington, the Homeland Security Department has so far received no indications that the collapse was an act of terrorism and said it will continue to monitor the situation.

 

The arched bridge, which was built in 1967, rises about 20 meters above the river.

 

Source: Xinhua/agencies

[ThaHoov 0]

I saw that, it was pretty messed up. Could you imagine how freaked out you would be if you were on a bridge like that?

[Aimcrack 40]

More reason for me to have my phobia of bridges, I'm already scared of them and that didn't help. That's devastating though.

[ThaHoov 0]

I mean wtf do you do if your car is flying off a bridge into a river!!!???

[Major Zhuinden 128]

You die.

[XGhozt 410]

You could scream, or try and jump.. Get into the back of the car, unless your really fat or something.

Or get drunk as fast as possible? Anyway, I think i have family over there so I hope they're okay.

[aNiMe_FrEaK_ 40]

nah you dont die you have a small chance of survival i saw this mythbusters show about it you have to wait for the car to fill with water make sure you get your last breath then open the door and try to get to the surface before you run out of air if you try to save a baby or a kid you wont have enough time to survive : /

[ryder 19]

i live in MN and there was over 8 dead and 36 hurt

[XGhozt 410]

Wow, thanks for the update.

[ryder 19]

also the bus had 60 kids ranging from age 8-14 for a youth group coming back from a field trip from what ive hear they where all ok

[aNiMe_FrEaK_ 40]

i live in MN and there was over 8 dead and 36 hurt

 

google says 7 dead : O news says at least 4 dead (confirmed)

theres like 20 missing possibly dead though.

 

Edited August 2, 2007 by aNiMe_FrEaK_

[XGhozt 410]

Wow, well goodluck to them, thats for sure.

[Sithus 1]

Wow..my Dad has driven over that bridge a lot when he goes to a building just 5 minutes away called Graco.

[Azqato 503]

Wow, falling off a bridge has to be the scariest thing ever.

[g-reaper 0]

falling off a bridge is bad, but falling out of a plane would be worse if you ask me, hope all those people are ok though.

[Brownie Man 41]

thank god man.. for some reson i herd 74. i Was like wtf is going on.

[Anomaly 0]

What a tragedy. As an engineering major, blowing off my assignments in college means getting bad grades. In the real world, a miscalculation means you could kill someone.