35W BRIDGE COLLAPSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Prayers go out to all the families. How this happens we might never know.

Footage of the actual collapse from a security camera
http://www.kare11.com/video/player.aspx?aid=51365&bw=

No words….just prayers.

Take care Minnesota, you are in our thoughts today. The horror of being on that bridge…

Prayers to the familys and everyone involved. Im watching CNN right now and they said theres 60 vehicles in the water and divers are checking those vehicles. The schoolbus that had the kids in it looks like it fell about 35′ to 40′ but is still on the road aways from the river, remarkable no one was hurt very seriously. As of now 79 people have been admited to the hospital for various reasons. The fatalities that were 9 earlier are at 4 now because of the uncertainty and shock right after this happened. Sure hope the fatalities stay low and wish everyone well.

I have been sending my prayers out all night for the people and the family’s that where cought on the bridge.

God Bless those involved and their families!!

A good friend of mine was very lucky yesterday. She is ok and was released from the hospital last night without any injuries. Her car is the red Caprice. Sounds like the bridge had dropped multiple times when she was on it and then her air bag went off. She was able to climb out to safety. Were supposed to be going camping tomorrow so it will be interesting to hear the story first hand.

My sister crossed the bridge 10 min before this happened.

I’ve called my union hall and have asked to be called if they need volunteers with scaffold training to set shoring for rescue efforts. I’m out of work and it is the very least I can do. My wife crossed that bridge, coming home from work, 20 min. before it went down.
I’m a carpenter by trade and was under a large truss structural steel roof that collapsed on the crew I was on 29 years ago last March 15th. I still can hear the iron screaming and remember running towards an elevator shaft before I was knocked off my feet. I was virtually unharmed but my partner lost his leg and his arm has never been the same. One man died and half a dozen never worked again. The people that survived the incident will have our prayers.

I was just crossing the bridge in Winona and Tuesday and told my wife how all of the joints seem to have a great amount of rust and structural fatigue to them.
CRAZY, My sister took a different route because of the repair that was going on with it over the past few days or who know?
Goes to show you that we are guaranteed nothing and every day is special!

I was wondering why they didn’t close the rollers and drop the water so they could get at things below the waterline. One of the fire cheifs was saying the divers were having a hard time with the current.
My prayers go out to all the people involved and God Bless the helpers.

God speed everyone

Just found out during lunch that my cousin was on the bridge. He got away with some broken bones and cuts but he will be fine after some meanding. I have not talked with him yet but I would imagine he is still a bit shaken. My prayers go out to all the other families involved.

two words for ya
budget cuts!!

makes a guy mad save a dollar lose a life
they did the same thing at the airport a few years ago dad works for mac, they (the airport) saw that the runway was in bad shape but didn’t want to fix it cause it wasn’t in the budget few months later a plane landing crashed because the runway they had the runway fixed before the public knew about it.

somthing smells similar

Let’s not make political statements or political assumptions at a time like this.

People have lost their lives and loved ones.
Now is not the time to make un-educated remarks.

I agree with sledhead it is due o budget cuts and also that the officials were to cheap to shut down 35 to make repairs when they knew that it was structurally deficient. Also i feel for the families that lost loved ones and were injured

Quote:

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COAST GUARD RESPONDS TO MINNESOTA INTERSTATE BRIDGE COLLAPSE

MINNEAPOLIS – The Coast Guard is responding to the Interstate 35 bridge collapse in Minneapolis, today to assist local fire and police departments, emergency medical services and the state emergency operations center with search and rescue operations.

A 25-foot smallboat crew from the Marine Safety Detachment from St. Paul, Minn., is on scene. An HH-65C Rescue Helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City, Mich., along with and the Coast Guard Auxiliary in St. Paul, Minn., have been deployed to the scene to conduct search and rescue operations.

Due to the bridge collapse, the Mississippi River has been closed between mile markers 848 to 857. NOTE: Mile marker 848 is just above lock and dam #1 at Ford Parkway in St. Paul. Mile 857 is just above the Lowry Avenue Bridge near Columbia Heights.

All media inquiries concerning Coast Guard operations should be directed to Lt. j.g. Anastacia Visneski at (618) 610-6855.
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U.S. Coast Guard, Saving Lives Since 1790

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I would agree that this is not a time for political statements. Without even knowing what caused the failure I don’t know how anyone could. I realize that these comments are circulating through the media, but that doesn’t make it right but political gain from death and disaster seems to be easy prey for some. Stop and think a bit, there are still peoples fathers, mothers, children, loved ones etc still missing….is it really time to get political? I know I can’t bring my self to do it.

God speed to everyone affected by this insurmountable disaster.

Lazer

As I said on another board:

“There will be plenty of time for all that (Politics, Conjecture, etc.) later, but in this tragedy, there are a few unfortunate people who have run out of time.”

Wow…this is really scary. I hope no one was fishing in the river or off the dam / shore when it happened. Makes you think twice nowadays when we are fishing under a bridge. Also fortunately, it was not a busy river otherwise, there would also be boat casualties. My condolenscens to all involved and indeed a great relief for all those who had near misses in this forum.

Just wanted to send the condolenses out from my family.. Also wanted to say thanx to all the rescue personnel..
Im also proud of the way the citizens of MN come together in a time like this.. watching everyday people risk thier lives to help others, thats why im proud to be minnesotan

Yes, the rescue personnel has done a great job in what is a very difficult situation with the conditions and currents.

It was noted on national news about the good sumeritans diving in the water to help the trapped. I guess is certain parts of the country/world you can’t count on just anybody to help you out? Well, I guess we can be proud to be from where we are. I guess I wouldn’t think twice in that type or any other life threatening situation, reguardless of race, sex, religion, age, etc…I would be doing everything in my power to rescue folks specially in those first critical moments.

I had a situation where this happened to me. I was about an 1/8 mile trailing a small 4 door car. 3-4 deer ran out and the woman driving swerved losing control and rolling the car into a pond. I was in the pond and to the car in seconds, it was not sinking but was partially submerged. The woman was ok but badly shaken. I noticed an empty child seat in the back seat and I asked the woman (still trapped in the car) if her child was with her. She was so shaken she said that she didn’t know. Now my heart started pumping!!! The doors were jammed and the rear window was blown out, I feared that the child may have flown out in the rollover. I listened for crys, and nothing… My adrenaline was pumping so hard I physically tore a partially opened door off of the car to get the woman out. When I got her out, I got her phone number and called he home where her husband answered. I asked immediately if the child was there and he was like “who the heck is this and why would you ask that?”. I quickly explained the situation and he did confirm that their toddler was safely at home with him and his wife was going to work. After learning that the child was not in the car I felt some serious relief and felt like the rescue was complete.

For weeks after, my arms ached from torn/strained muscles from tearing the door off the car but there was a degree of satisfaction every time I felt the ache.

Sorry for the long read….