Minneapolis Bridge Collapse

[Wisp]

story

 

 

 

INNEAPOLIS - The entire span of an interstate bridge suddenly broke into huge sections and collapsed into the Mississippi River during evening bumper-to-bumper traffic Wednesday, sending vehicles, tons of concrete and twisted metal crashing into the water.

 

 

 

Hours later the mayor said rescue workers had searched 50 cars and recovered six bodies.

 

 

 

"Obviously this is a catastrophe of historic proportions," said Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

 

 

 

The entire span of the Interstate 35W bridge collapsed about 6:05 p.m. A tractor-trailer caught fire, and flame and black smoke billowed into the sky.

 

 

 

At least 60 individuals ÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Ã

[Abelmisi]

-edited-

 

 

 

Seriously, now I'm afraid to cross bridges.

 

 

 

Shocking.

[Wisp]

The constructionmen who built that should be executed. The guy with the plans burnt on fire.

 

They still aren't sure if they were the cause.

[Abelmisi]

The constructionmen who built that should be executed. The guy with the plans burnt on fire.

 

They still aren't sure if they were the cause.

 

 

 

If not them what? The weather? Unlikely.

[nomadmike]

It was on the news at my house and they were talking to an architect director who helped inspect its building. He said it was possible for it to fall if there were small shockwaves or tremors.

 

 

 

Then he went on to say he believes it was due to the fact that the city added an extra 2 LANES!! :notalk: That extra weight and NO EXTRA support beams made it slip apart.

 

 

 

 

 

:( Sad sad thing :cry:

[Wisp]

The constructionmen who built that should be executed. The guy with the plans burnt on fire.

 

They still aren't sure if they were the cause.

 

 

 

If not them what? The weather? Unlikely.

 

you have a point. they were working on fixing potholes and repairing the conditon, atleast from what i've heard

[look_its_rob]

as of 10:09 est. 6 are confirmed dead.

[jackalope14]

Wow. I have been over this bridge multiple times. Its so weird to have something like this happen so close to where you live.

 

If you have seen any of the pictures, there are tons of cars crashed and hanging from weird positions. Amazing.

 

 

 

Somebody is in big trouble.

[nomadmike]

Wow. I have been over this bridge multiple times. Its so weird to have something like this happen so close to where you live.

 

If you have seen any of the pictures, there are tons of cars crashed and hanging from weird positions. Amazing.

 

 

 

There was a home vid shown on the news where the truck was being crushed from middle to front...then its in flames...then a smoldering wreckage after being put out :-X

[Wisp]

also theres thunder storms coming and it's getting late there, so that's bad to rescue/ recover workers, though they think all survirors are clear

[Tbfgraphx14]

Sounds like the mall in asia that collapsed under its own weight, and that killed like 500 people :shock:

[Abelmisi]

Sounds like the mall in asia that collapsed under its own weight, and that killed like 500 people :shock:

 

 

 

There was an other one, a disco collapsing. There are even videos of it on youtube.

[Wisp]

Sounds like the mall in asia that collapsed under its own weight, and that killed like 500 people :shock:

 

I haven't heard about that, how long ago was that?

[Tbfgraphx14]

Sounds like the mall in asia that collapsed under its own weight, and that killed like 500 people :shock:

 

I haven't heard about that, how long ago was that?

 

 

 

http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/cha ... lapse.html

 

 

 

I just found out about it too last night when I saw the show on it.

[martinisback]

this is scary, such abad time it happened at to. I dont like bridges anymore:O:P.

 

 

 

But how such a big structure, can collapse i'd be so scared, it's like a rollercoster ride but faster. And im a very bad swimmer to...:o

[x_bow80]

The constructionmen who built that should be executed. The guy with the plans burnt on fire.

 

 

 

 

Ahahahahaha :lol: Omg, i couldnt stop laughing when i read that :lol: Wow, that deserves a hand shake!

 

 

 

But really, maybe it was just old? :-w :-k

[Smokie]

There was actually a bridge some decades ago that was brand new that ended up collapsing. The way bridges are constructed (although they've worked hard to rectify this since then), the right combination of factors (temperature, wind, etc) can cause air waves to vibrate at the bridge's natural frequency, which causes the whole thing to shake violently and eventually collapse.

 

 

 

I was watching CNN and an eyewitness said that the thing had started shaking like so and collapsed shortly thereafter.

 

 

 

Dunno if it's the case here or not, but I wouldn't blame the construction team/architect as much as the state board that certified the bridge. There are pretty stringent standards for bridge inspections so I'd be surprised if this is something they could prevent.

[Tbfgraphx14]

There was actually a bridge some decades ago that was brand new that ended up collapsing. The way bridges are constructed (although they've worked hard to rectify this since then), the right combination of factors (temperature, wind, etc) can cause air waves to vibrate at the bridge's natural frequency, which causes the whole thing to shake violently and eventually collapse.

 

 

 

I was watching CNN and an eyewitness said that the thing had started shaking like so and collapsed shortly thereafter.

 

 

 

Dunno if it's the case here or not, but I wouldn't blame the construction team/architect as much as the state board that certified the bridge. There are pretty stringent standards for bridge inspections so I'd be surprised if this is something they could prevent.

 

 

 

+1

 

 

 

Also something weird. I swear I recall hearing news reports about a bridge collapse 3 hours before the minnesota one. Maybe it aws a dream and I saw the future :uhh: Nah lol

[Tigra00]

I was about 100 feet away from driving onto the I-35 bridge when it collapsed today. I drove my uncle to the cities (I live on Skyline in Mankato, south of the cities) today and on the way back, the damn thing collapsed. It was absolutely frightening to witness it actually happen. I seriously had no idea what the hell had happened...Since I'm not familiar with the area under it or anything, I thought there was like, a huge car accident involving semi's and stuff that knocked out a support beam or something, because we don't have earthquakes 'round here, so that was all I could think it was at the time.

 

 

 

We had to take a different route home, obviously.

 

 

 

Seriously, guys. It was the weirdest thing I've ever seen. It was too weird to have been scary, but I'm sure those who were on it when it collapsed were terrified. My girlfriend heard about it on the news and her mom was wondering if I had to drive on the bridge at all, and she called me up and I told her all about it and she was pretty grateful I hadn't gone over it when it took a dive.

 

 

 

Seriously, I'm kinda' reconsidering everything about life, as cliche as it sounds. I mean, I could have gotten in the car and started driving 5 minutes sooner and died today. It's weird how a few seconds can be all the difference in life or death.

 

 

 

It should also be noted that I'm pissed off that people even think of the word terrorism everytime something bad happens now. Yea, I know it's a possibility, but damnit, I'm tired of the government scaring everyone. There were no freakin' bombs, trust me.

[Riku3220]

I was about 100 feet away from driving onto the I-35 bridge when it collapsed today. I drove my uncle to the cities (I live on Skyline in Mankato, south of the cities) today and on the way back, the damn thing collapsed. It was absolutely frightening to witness it actually happen. I seriously had no idea what the hell had happened...Since I'm not familiar with the area under it or anything, I thought there was like, a huge car accident involving semi's and stuff that knocked out a support beam or something, because we don't have earthquakes 'round here, so that was all I could think it was at the time.

 

 

 

We had to take a different route home, obviously.

 

 

 

Seriously, guys. It was the weirdest thing I've ever seen. It was too weird to have been scary, but I'm sure those who were on it when it collapsed were terrified. My girlfriend heard about it on the news and her mom was wondering if I had to drive on the bridge at all, and she called me up and I told her all about it and she was pretty grateful I hadn't gone over it when it took a dive.

 

 

 

Seriously, I'm kinda' reconsidering everything about life, as cliche as it sounds. I mean, I could have gotten in the car and started driving 5 minutes sooner and died today. It's weird how a few seconds can be all the difference in life or death.

 

 

 

It should also be noted that I'm pissed off that people even think of the word terrorism everytime something bad happens now. Yea, I know it's a possibility, but damnit, I'm tired of the government scaring everyone. There were no freakin' bombs, trust me.

 

 

 

speaking of life and death stories once i couldnt find my shoes while i was at my grandparents house. i finnaly found them and we were ready to go then out of nowhere this car came turning the corner at about 80mph if i had found my shoe earlier we would've been hit :ohnoes:

 

 

 

and this is a good idea for a final destination 4 :-k

[Ambassadar]

Wow Tigra. I'm glad you are ok. Near death experiences always do have a way of making us re-examine ourselves. I've almost died a few times as well.

 

 

 

So what exactly was it like watching it collapse? My guess is it is all probably a blur but if you remember any specifics I would be interested to hear them.

[xXru1n3dXx]

It's pretty damn sad about what happened. :\

 

Also, CNN also just released video footage of the fall from a security camera. Kind of eerie to watch.

[Kevin_]

Pretty messed up, don't they do check ups on those things?

[Wisp]

there was a checkup in 2004, and they said it would have to be resurfacced in 2020, but other than that it was supposedly safe.

 

It's wierd how a few seconds or something trivial like not being able to find something for 30 seconds or something can be the difference between life and death.

 

By the way the bridge was built in 1967, so it's 40 years old, which isn't too old.

[sour_tacos]

I remember watching footage of the San Fransico Earthquake of 1989, where the top level of a freeway collapsed on the bottom too. I'm guessing this is something like that, but over water... I'm crossing the Mississippi in a week or two on my way to South Dakota, no doubt this will be in my mind.