WI - 35W bridge in Minneapolis collapses!

[cheko1]

They also said they were figuring out some of those people were alive and got to safety. We can only hope.

That would be the greatest if they were alive. I heard of 1 lady who showed up at work. :angel: Can you imagine the joy people felt??? She is a angel to them!

 

[Laneymae]

Here is a little bit of information on the four people that died in the accident: http://www.startribune.com/10204/story/1340737.html

Pictures posted on the StarTribune Newspaper on Friday 8/3
Photo Gallery - Day 1: http://www.startribune.com/10136/gallery/1338445.html
Photo Gallery - Day 2: http://www.startribune.com/10136/gallery/1339564.html
Photo Gallery - Day 3: http://www.startribune.com/10136/gallery/1342366.html

Story of the bus with the children: http://www.startribune.com/10204/story/1341276.html

I am really proud of the way that Minnesotan's rose to the challenge in this crisis. Lots of heros.

I wanted to drive out to the scene today, but I guess they have so much blocked off right now, that you cannot get close. Hopefully, if they open the Stone Arch bridge, that is nearby, we may be able to get a look at it.

Being here brings it all home, onlooker says: http://www.startribune.com/10204/story/1340403.html

Laney

 

[cheko1]

Here is a little bit of information on the four people that died in the accident: http://www.startribune.com/10204/story/1340737.html

Pictures posted on the StarTribune Newspaper on Friday 8/3
Photo Gallery - Day 1: http://www.startribune.com/10136/gallery/1338445.html
Photo Gallery - Day 2: http://www.startribune.com/10136/gallery/1339564.html
Photo Gallery - Day 3: http://www.startribune.com/10136/gallery/1342366.html

Story of the bus with the children: http://www.startribune.com/10204/story/1341276.html

I am really proud of the way that Minnesotan's rose to the challenge in this crisis. Lots of heros.

I wanted to drive out to the scene today, but I guess they have so much blocked off right now, that you cannot get close. Hopefully, if they open the Stone Arch bridge, that is nearby, we may be able to get a look at it.

Being here brings it all home, onlooker says: http://www.startribune.com/10204/story/1340403.html

Laney

Thanks for the links Laney!
My son says you can get close / you just have to know where your going????

 

[Laneymae]

Oh, friends, I am saying a humble prayer of thanks because my oldest son was on that bridge the day before yesterday during rush hour, as he often is, with his summer job! Just got lucky yesterday, he got off work early. He called to tell me he was ok and I cried in relief.

I am so sad for all those who have lost loved ones and can't imagine the terror of nor knowing as the recovery effort goes on. I am chewing my fingernails waiting to hear if any of my friends or acquaintances were on that bridge. Our stepdaughter lives 2 blocks away from it and is fine, as is her husband, a grad student near the disaster site.

I have lived here for over 20 years and can't count the number of times I have traveled that bridge. They are saying that it had a 50/120 rating when inspected in 2005. The bad news is, that is common for bridges across the country.

Eve

Oh eve, I am so glad your son is okay. Just think about how many times he has gone over that bridge...

You have to think that anyone that went over that bridge in the last week or month was risking their life, yet never knew it. Their life was in serious danger. I think it could have gone at anytime. Makes me sick thinking of that.

Laney

 

[Laneymae]

Thanks for the links Laney!
My son says you can get close / you just have to know where your going????

Nice that he found a way to get close. Has he been out there a few times?

Laney

 

[cheko1]

Nice that he found a way to get close. Has he been out there a few times?

Laney

Yes, he works Construction & is over in that area alot.

Hubby just reminded me we were just on the bridge a wk ago / twice in a day. We went to Hutchinson to see family. YIKES!!!! I forgot about that.

 

[cheko1]

I wonder though what happened to the truck driver ~ did he escape before the fire started, is he hospitalized or did he perish?

Just heard on the local News that the guy in the truck that was on fire died.

 

[Laneymae]

Forgot to post this slideshow - User-submitted photos. It shows 5 or 6
pictures of the bridge before it collapsed: http://www.startribune.com/10204/story/1340403.html

Here is wikipedia for the I-35W Mississippi River bride: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I-35W_Mississippi_River_bridge

I thought one of the links in an email above showed the bridge built in 1967. I can't seem to find it now.

Laney

 

[Laneymae]

Yes, he works Construction & is over in that area alot.

Hubby just reminded me we were just on the bridge a wk ago / twice in a day. We went to Hutchinson to see family. YIKES!!!! I forgot about that.

That is scary, cheko1. You're right --> "YIKES!!!!"

 

[Laneymae]

Oh gosh,

Y'all will get of tired my links, but I have just one more (promise).

Here is a live view from the scene from the Minnesota Department of Transportation. I think the picture updates every minute and shows the top of the bridge. The peice of the bridge missing is above the river.

My husband thinks that this camera was also showing live pictures at the time of the collapse. Maybe we will get more pictures in the future of the bridge collapsing.

http://video.dot.state.mn.us/video/image?id=628

Laney

 

[Marthatex]

On the ABC news tonight, they said that the San Francisco/Oakland bridge is rated lower than the one that fell.

 

[Buzz Mills]

On the ABC news tonight, they said that the San Francisco/Oakland bridge is rated lower than the one that fell.

There's a new Bay Bridge being built

http://www.newbaybridge.org/

http://www.newbaybridge.org/redesign/design_finalized.html

 

[panthera]

Just heard on the local News that the guy in the truck that was on fire died.

Thank you. I thought he may have since other survivors have been interviewed. Hopefully he died before the truck caught fire.

 

[panthera]

Some survivors & families on LKL tonight ~ along with DOG.

 

[Buzz Mills]

The House passed a bill today appropriating $250 million towards a new MN bridge.

 

[panthera]

The House passed a bill today appropriating $250 million towards a new MN bridge.

That's good news!

 

[cheko1]

The House passed a bill today appropriating $250 million towards a new MN bridge.

That is just awesome!

 

[Gina_M]

This page has some diagrams of the bridge and how the collapse happened...also Alicia Babatz's story of survival
http://www.startribune.com/bridge/

 

[Gina_M]

About the truck driver, Paul Eickstadt:
http://www.startribune.com/10204/story/1343125.html

 

[Buzz Mills]

That's good news!

Better wait for the news; that allegedly happened before I started watching the House proceedings this evening. I want to see something in writing, and the bill hasn't been written yet, so it isn't available to look at.