Minneapolis Bridge collapses into Mississippi River

**jmur5074** · 08-01-07, 08:16 PM

MINNEAPOLIS - A freeway bridge spanning the Mississippi River collapsed during evening rush hour Wednesday, sending many cars into the water.

Tons of concrete collapsed and there were injuries, authorities said. Survivors were being carried up the riverbank.

Some people were stranded on parts of the bridge that weren't completely submerged.

The entire span of the Interstate 35W bridge collapsed about 6:05 p.m. where the freeway crosses the river near University Avenue in Minneapolis.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070801/...ridge_collapse

People were crawling to rescue Wednesday after the 35W bridge over the Mississippi River has collapsed. Cars were on fire.

The vehicles on the bridge dropped more than 60 feet when the bridge collapsed.

Witnesses have told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that people are in the water.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS crews estimate as many as 50 vehicles are in the crash.

Police began a rescue operation to save those people. Emergency crews are on the scene. Rescue boats are in the water trying to rescue as many people as possible.

Witnesses tell us they heard a loud rubbling noise before the collapse.

http://kstp.com/article/stories/S156329.shtml?cat=1

According to the news, Hennepin Co. Medical Center said they are in a "crisis situation" and there were 50+ cars on the bridge at the time of collapse. Happened during rush hour.

**Willowdared** · 08-01-07, 08:18 PM

I was just looking for a complete article on this....

http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_213191448.html

I-35W Bridge Collapse Into Mississippi River
Slideshow: I-35W Bridge Collapse

(WCCO) Minneapolis The Interstate 35W Mississippi River bridge near University Avenue has collapsed into the river.

Both the northbound and southbound lanes of 35W are lying in the Mississippi River.

There are multiple cars in the river and a couple cars on fire. According to one witness, there was a school bus full of children on the bridge.

Cars are still on the bridge.

There was no immediate word on injuries, but dozens of rescue vehicles were there. Divers were also in the water.

Tons of concrete have collapsed and people are injured. Survivors are being carried up the riverbank.

Some people are stranded on parts of the bridge that aren't completely in the water.

A tractor-trailer is on fire at the collapse scene.

Some cars are still precariously perched on the bridge. Sections of the bridge are mangled, some are pointing up in the air and some are in the river.

"My truck got completely torn in half," said Gary Bavanaugh, who was on the bridge when it collapsed. "The bridge started shaking and it went down fast."

Bavanaugh said he was headed northbound on I-35W when he heard a huge rumbling and he saw a huge cloud of white dust as the bridge collapsed. He had his seatbelt on and said if he hadn't, his head would have gone through the windshield.

Bavanaugh said a school bus full of children was ahead of him. He got on the bus and helped children, who he estimated to be 8-12 years old, off the bus and off the bridge.

"It is just horrific," said witness Marilyn Franzen, who saw the bridge collapse. Franzen said she saw a school bus that managed to stop before the going over the edge of the bridge that she said was carrying 20-30 children between the ages of 8 and 12 years old.

According to witnesses, cars are crushed and mangled under the bridge where it collapsed onto the shore of the river. Street signs also crushed cars.

The road has been under construction since the beginning of the summer.

**Beans** · 08-01-07, 08:18 PM

Saw this on MSNBC. That is crazy. Here is Missouri crossing bridges is a fact of life with the Mississippi and Missouri meeting up here. I have to cross the Missouri every day to go to work. This makes me nervous.

**lewisipso** · 08-01-07, 08:26 PM

Extremely bad news.

**kjlaw** · 08-01-07, 09:41 PM

Very Sad.

**Just KC** · 08-01-07, 10:07 PM

I have been watching this ever since it was aired......just awful! I can't imagine how loud that must have been and how scared those people were in the vehicles. Have they said if anyone died yet?? I wonder about those in the water. Did it fall on train??

**KaiGywer** · 08-01-07, 10:44 PM

Yeah, kay88 and I were just south of the bridge when it happened. Saw all kinds of cop cars flying northbound.

**lynnz05** · 08-01-07, 11:07 PM

Originally Posted by Just KC

I have been watching this ever since it was aired......just awful! I can't imagine how loud that must have been and how scared those people were in the vehicles. Have they said if anyone died yet?? I wonder about those in the water. Did it fall on train??

According to the news I'm watching right now there are atleast 6 people that were killed and atleast 38 hurt.

**Just KC** · 08-01-07, 11:09 PM

Wow...thanks Lynnz....

**lynnz05** · 08-01-07, 11:11 PM

Originally Posted by Just KC

Wow...thanks Lynnz....

No Problem

**Tony** · 08-01-07, 11:20 PM

It's just awful news, I'm amazed that the death toll is single digits. I guess with it being summer, the water isn't cold enough to cause problems.

**jmur5074** · 08-02-07, 02:26 AM

One hospital took 9, another took 28, and one took 30 injured.

7 dead

One missing for sure

Minneapolis PD spokesperson said the search has been called off until daylight, but there are several vehicles still underwater. Unknown if anymore are missing/dead.

**BEK** · 08-02-07, 02:49 AM

Now it would be nice if Channel 5 would stop airing it. Its been playing since 6ish or so

**jmur5074** · 08-02-07, 05:37 AM

Originally Posted by BEK

Now it would be nice if Channel 5 would stop airing it. Its been playing since 6ish or so

On a related topic Bek, I hate Cindy Burccato.

**TheeBadOne** · 08-02-07, 05:55 AM

**KaiGywer** · 08-02-07, 08:05 AM

9 confirmed dead, 20 missing so far. Not looking good. Although, even if 30 people are dead, it could have been so much worse had there not been road construction on the bridge cutting the capacity by more than half.

**BEB** · 08-02-07, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by KaiGywer

9 confirmed dead, 20 missing so far. Not looking good. Although, even if 30 people are dead, it could have been so much worse had there not been road construction on the bridge cutting the capacity by more than half.

I watched a bit of the live coverage via the streaming link at FoxNews until I couldn't stand the nonsense the talking heads were spewing any longer. Surface repairs don't cause structure collapse, no matter how heavy the wet cement patch is. Nor do emergency responders need to be reminded by the news that they should "check with their agency"

They entirely forgot to mention that the construction was a bit of blessing in this. Good point.

My prayers for the families of those lost and hope for miracles.

**Pretty Boring Civi** · 08-02-07, 09:15 AM

Thank you, LEOs and rescue workers. Many of you appear, doing your jobs admirably, in the New York Times photo gallery:

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/200...DGE_index.html

I'm so, so sorry for the victims and their families.

**BEK** · 08-02-07, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by jmur5074

On a related topic Bek, I hate Cindy Burccato.

+10 she is the dumbest newscaster I have ever seen. I cant stand her, I thought she was just a replacement but noooo she is on all the time. Anytime I see a story that I may wanna watch and she is on I shake my head and think to myself......... What a dult.

Also with most bad things that happen I like the fact that the news can always find the most cracked out people to interview. I watched this couple (both seemed cracked out) tell about how they rescued at least 12 people themselves and then assisted fire/rescue and ems rescue more people. The quote from my favorite crack head was "I heard a boom den da bridge fell down, and down until it hit da water"

Anyways there are still 20-30 people missing as of the time of this post