CNN reports major bridge collapse in Minnesota

[Brent]

Minnesota officials say they don't yet know how many cars were traveling the span during the collapse. But judging by the length of road, the lanes that were open, time of day and widely accepted traffic formulas, Northwestern University engineering professor Joseph Schofer estimated that between 100 and 150 vehicles were on the bridge.

Plus a school bus with 60 kids... I am amazed the death toll is so low. 6 at this time with only 8 now missing(and I wouldn't be surprised if that number shrinks even more). So we're talking less than 15 at the most with perhaps several hundred on the bridge when it collapsed. That's amazing.

[RL3AO]

As a Minnesotan and seeing non-stop coverage for 3 days now, I feel that the emergency response was world class and that civilians helped save people is the main reason for the fairly low death count.

[Dionne]

CNN is reporting this morning that DOT is initially looking at the weight factor. How much construction equipment was on the bridge, the number of cars and trucks and the weight of construction materials. According to news reports the construction had shifted into a 24 hour operation, which generated the need for more equipment. More load.

All this prompted me to check our local bridges and see how they rated.......we have two with a single digit rating of only 7. One of these bridges has 11,000 cars using it each day. A rating of 7 on this bridge means that load should not exceed 30k lbs. The bridge is scheduled for repair this fall. Failing infrastructure.

[chadtm80]

Really good pictures of the tragedy here.. Russian site so can't read, but best pictures I have seen thus far

http://drugoi.livejournal.com/2280005.html

[Stephanie]

As a Minnesotan and seeing non-stop coverage for 3 days now, I feel that the emergency response was world class and that civilians helped save people is the main reason for the fairly low death count.

Everyone did chip in quickly. It is a miracle that the number of dead isn't any higher.

[artist]

Seems there was a kayaker in the area at the time of collapse and they are looking for them to see if they can offer any information that might help.

http://www.startribune.com/10204/story/1351416.html

from the article -

Authorities have also been told that there was a kayaker near the bridge at the time of the collapse, and they would like to talk to that person.

I hope they come forward and can help. There are 88 vehicles that can't be moved for awhile as well. Just amazing that there are only 8 missing, I think it is.

[Jinkers]

I'm still amazed more weren't killed, what an amazing response y'all had in MN. My prayers do go out to all involved.

[lurkey]

Potential Flaw Is Found in Design of Fallen Bridge

[HurricaneBill]

The 5 dead and 8 missing would make a toll of 13. That would make this the deadliest U.S. bridge collapse since the I-40 bridge disaster in Webbers Falls, Oklahoma on May 26, 2002. In that accident, the captain of a tugboat towing two barges, lost consciousness and lost control of the boat. This resulted in one of the barges striking the bridge and caused a large section to collapse into the Arkansas River. 14 people died when their vehicles fell into the river. However, 5 people were rescued thanks to fishermen who quickly arrived on the scene. Two fishermen lit off a signal flare to alert a tractor-trailer heading towards the bridge. The driver turned the trailer to block off the traffic lanes, preventing more cars from going over.

The worst U.S. bridge disaster in recent times was the Big Bayou Canot, Alabama disaster of September 22, 1993. A barge struck a bridge. Although the bridge did not collapse, it was knocked out of alignment. This caused an Amtrak train to derail while going over the bridge and it plunged into the water, killing 47.

The world's worst bridge disaster was the Baghdad bridge stampede of August 31, 2005. A large crowd of pilgrims were at a mosque when rumors of a possible suicide bomber sent the crowd into a panic. The crowd rushed onto the bridge. However, the gate at one end of the bridge remained shut because it opened inwards and the large crowd prevented it from opening. The large crowd resulted in a crush that eventually caused the bridge to collapse, killing over 1,000 people.

Because of Hurricane Katrina, this disaster received little mention in the U.S.

[lurkey]

Two more victims found in bridge collapse

[O Town]

I was on vacation when this happened so I am doing some catching up. What a scary and sad event. Glad to see so many where able to make it out.

All this prompted me to check our local bridges and see how they rated.......we have two with a single digit rating of only 7. One of these bridges has 11,000 cars using it each day. A rating of 7 on this bridge means that load should not exceed 30k lbs. The bridge is scheduled for repair this fall. Failing infrastructure.

Where did you find those ratings? I did a little research and couldn't find nothing, one article stated that Home Land Security won't allow information to be public. I did find out we have over 11,000 bridges here and was just curious about a few.

[lurkey]

I was on vacation when this happened so I am doing some catching up. What a scary and sad event. Glad to see so many where able to make it out.

All this prompted me to check our local bridges and see how they rated.......we have two with a single digit rating of only 7. One of these bridges has 11,000 cars using it each day. A rating of 7 on this bridge means that load should not exceed 30k lbs. The bridge is scheduled for repair this fall. Failing infrastructure.

Where did you find those ratings? I did a little research and couldn't find nothing, one article stated that Home Land Security won't allow information to be public. I did find out we have over 11,000 bridges here and was just curious about a few.

http://transportation.house.gov/Media/F ... ridges.pdf --The Number Of Structurally-Deficient Bridges In The US (pdf)

[artist]

I heard either your state or local transportation dept. should have this info available online, depending on whether it is funded locally, etc.

[lurkey]

I think this is what Dionne was talking about: Map of Structurally-Deficient Bridges In The US Just click on your state and a link to the problem bridges in your state should be there. . .

[O Town]

Excellent, that is exactley what I was wanting to look at. Looks like most of our bridges around here are in decent shape, could be better but also could be alot worse. Thanks lurker_from_nc.

[Aquawind]

Divers searching for the remains of Interstate 35W bridge collapse victims recovered at least two more bodies Thursday - and authorities are testing to see whether they've found even more.

Authorities identified the body of Peter Hausmann, 47, of Rosemount. The second body is believed to be that of 19-month-old Hana Sahal, who was with her mother, Sadiya Sahal, 23, of St. Paul, at the time of the collapse Aug. 1.

Hausmann's body was pulled from the Mississippi River at 10:50 a.m., Hennepin County sheriff's officials said. His cause of death has yet to be announced.

Also Thursday, a second set of remains was recovered - though authorities said that due to the condition of the remains, it was unclear whether they represent just a single body.

"It may very well be that what we are attempting to identify represents more than one individual," said Hennepin County Medical Examiner Andrew Baker.

Baker said at least one person had been tentatively identified in the later set of remains.

Later Thursday, Omar Jamal, executive director of the Somali Justice Advocacy Center in St. Paul, said the family of one of the missing - Hana Sahal - was told by authorities that the girl's remains had been found and identified. However, authorities made no official announcement.

Jamal said authorities offered no information to the family other than that the infant's body had been found.

Baker said that because of the conditions of the latter set of remains, additional
Advertisement
testing would be required to conclusively identify them.

"I won't go into great detail, but as you can imagine with conditions being what they are and the time that has elapsed since the tragedy, you need to bring more and more science to bear on the process of human identification," Baker said.

Baker said additional methods might include the use of dental records, fingerprints, the identification of unique medical features and DNA testing. The final method was considered a last resort, because of the time required to complete such analysis.

Hana's mother, a nursing student, was five months pregnant.

With the addition of Hausmann and the second set of remains, the official death toll in the Minneapolis bridge disaster stands at seven. Six people are believed to be missing.

PROFITEERING ALLEGED

A Connecticut man was arrested and a Twin Cities resident detained for penetrating command posts near the bridge site and trying to sell recovery equipment or passing themselves off as consultants.

"They're trying to profit off the misery of these people," Minneapolis police Capt. Mike Martin said.

Joseph Harris Jones, 56, a Coast Guard retiree from Gales Ferry, Conn., repeatedly tried to sell authorities a $650,000 sonar device, Martin said. He illegally gained access to the command post at least once and had hounded various agencies to buy the sonar equipment.

Another man, whom Martin would not identify, had duped at least one television network - including a show hosted by Geraldo Rivera - into thinking he was a bridge expert, Martin said.

Authorities said he tried to pass himself off as a consultant with the National Transportation Safety Board, Martin said. The man was detained for questioning.

Martin warned, "If you try to sell products and services and capitalize on people, we will make sure you don't have the credibility to sell Girl Scout cookies."

Although Jones reportedly claimed that authorities invited him to the site, Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek said he e-mailed Jones telling him not come to the collapsed bridge.

KEY WITNESS

A kayaker who had practically been under the bridge at the time of the collapse has contacted authorities, and they hope to speak with him soon, Martin said. Police hope someone who may have seen the collapse from below can give investigators more details of the disaster.

NO HOMELESS KNOWN DEAD

After interviewing a homeless man who knew the community that slept under the bridge, police believe no homeless were among the victims.

The time the bridge fell - about 6 p.m. - would have been too early for most to have returned to their camp, Martin said.

WORK PLANNED ON HWY. 280

Roadwork on Minnesota 280 will force the closing of several key ramps this weekend on the highway, the main detour for I-35W since the Aug. 1 bridge collapse.

The affected locations include ramps from Interstate 94 to Minnesota 280, as well as the ramp from northbound Minnesota 280 to northbound I-35W. The ramps will be closed from 8 p.m. today until about 5 a.m. Monday.

Northbound Minnesota 280 traffic will be detoured along Terminal Road and County Road B2. Other interchanges along the highway will also remain open. Motorists are also encouraged to travel Snelling Avenue and Interstate 35E, or continue westbound on I-94.

Crews will widen the one-lane section of the ramp from northbound Minnesota 280 to northbound I-35W to accommodate two lanes of traffic.

GOVERNOR'S RESPONSE GAUGED

The Associated Press reviewed dozens of e-mails exchanged by members of the Pawlenty administration in the hours and days after the bridge collapse.

They reflected a business-like response to the biggest disaster of Gov. Tim Pawlenty's tenure.

Among them: "May be cars in Mississippi River. Both directions on 35W. Helicopter says it's a devastating scene," wrote spokesman Brian McClung 13 minutes after the collapse.

"The bridge will consume us (and appropriately so) for the next few days," wrote Chief of Staff Matt Kramer as he tried to figure out whether Pawlenty would have time for a meeting with first lady Laura Bush.

COUNSELING OFFERED

Counseling is being offered to good Samaritans who helped at the bridge collapse last week and people who were on the span but survived.

Tom Walsh, a St. Paul police spokesman, said, "Our concern is two groups of people who don't seem to be served - people who survived and walked away and the people who stopped and helped. They may be traumatized."

People interested in joining a support group can call Survivor Resources at 651-266-5674 or 612-673-3951.

People willing to help the group by donating meeting space can call 651-266-5674.

Mara Gottfried contributed to this report.

Alex Friedrich can be reached at afriedrich@pioneerpress.com or 651-228-2109.

http://www.twincities.com/collapse/ci_6587899

http://www.twincities.com/ci_6591864

[RL3AO]

It has been three months now and groundbreaking on the new bridge was today.

[Miss Mary]

Hard to believe it's been one year since this tragic bridge collapse.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25970510/

[JonathanBelles]

wow! its been one year already!

[Brent]

Can't believe it's been a year.