It's a "Vertical Lift Bridge" that rises horizontally between the towers and not the type that open at an angle.
Posted on 12/26/2005 7:28:30 AM PST by Cagey
Divers search for New Jersey police officers who drove off bridge
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Divers from state and federal agencies searched Sunday for two police officers whose emergency vehicle drove off a drawbridge and plunged into the Hackensack River in New Jersey outside Jersey City, an official said.
The vehicle was driving eastbound from Kearney toward Jersey City through heavy fog on the Route 1 and 9 Bridge -- also known as the Lincoln Highway Bridge -- at 8:15 p.m., when the accident occurred, said Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Tom Sperduto.
"The bridge was up; they couldn't see it and they drove right off it," he said.
The temperature of the Hackensack River water was 41 degrees, in which a person can expect to survive "a little over three hours," Sperduto said.
"There's a multitude of agencies out there right now searching," he added, listing the New York Police Department, the New Jersey State Police and the Coast Guard.
The Jersey City Police Department is the lead agency. A dispatcher said no one was available to comment.
The director of the New Jersey chapter of the Lincoln Highway Association said the structure was built shortly after World War II and is a vertical-lift bridge about 300 feet long that works like an elevator suspended between two columns.
"There's a structure that goes up and down," said Mitchel Dakelman. "The lift span is mounted between two towers."
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
not very funny and in poor taste
It's one of those situations where the totally unexpected happens.
I worked part time in a funeral home years ago. They had an old elevator that was raised and lowered by hand. It was SOP to lock the entrance door at the top before lowering yourself, so that the shaft would be inaccessible from above and thus prevent a fall.
I stayed overnight in the apartment on the top floor to answer calls that might come at any hour, occasionally taking calls at a very early hour. On one particlar early morning call the gurney was on the top floor by the elevator. I opened the doors (which of course were unlocked or else I couldn't have opened them), then pushed the gurney onto what I thought was a waiting elevatior. It plunged loudly into the abyss. Talk about a wake up call!
All I can say is I'm glad I was pushing the gurney instead of pulling it, as I would have required the funeral home's services and not been here to tell you about it.
On another morning I encountered a burglar in the funeral home's apartment next to mine. I'll save that story for some another thread some other time.
Yea , thats it ...
....come up with an alternative warning system, like, say, a cop there to warn people?
According to the New Jersey Star-Ledger, there were two police units blocking the street, but the officers driving the ESU drove around the police cars.
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-2/113557563545710.xml&coll=1
"According to the New Jersey Star-Ledger, there were two police units blocking the street, but the officers driving the ESU drove around the police cars.
"
Oh, well. I guess people do things, sometimes, that get them into trouble.
I haven’t been on that bridge in 15 or 16 years, but if it's the one I think it is, it used to raise at an angle that was so steep most 4x4s couldn’t climb it. Driving up the open bridge, even blindfolded, one would know that something wasn’t right. Unless this is a different bridge than I’m thinking about, I don’t see how they could have driven up the open bridge by mistake, let alone driven up it and over the edge by mistake. Something here doesn’t add up.
It's a "Vertical Lift Bridge" that rises horizontally between the towers and not the type that open at an angle.
Thanks! This isn't the bridge I was thinking about, and my wife was just telling me the one I was thinking about was replaced with a new bridge years ago and isn't even on the Hackensack River.
I just couldn't see how they managed it on that other bridge.
there was an accident on the bridge dec. 23rd and all bridge warning devices were disabled by the accident and on the 25th, there was a very-heavy fog and raining that limited visibility considerably. It's too bad the bridge operators and the police dispatcher weren't connected and on the same frequency or were not using the telephone. It's amazing in 2005 communications are still limited in the public safety arena.
The police and fire in NJ also have the same problem with NJ Transit railroads. If there is an accident on the tracks rescue workers still run the risk of getting run over by a train!
The fog was so thick that morning. How tragic.
Golly! Trolls always have family in these sad stories. And they ALWAYS find FR. And they ALWAYS find a post to complain about. And they signup JUST to make a statement..........that's likely not true.
AMAZING!
Obligatory insider alert!
I'm sorry for your loss...of any sense, whatsoever. LOL!
36 is your second post on FR. And, yes, it matters.
And, no, I don't believe you.
I don't care whether you believe me or not.
Just show respect for those who are lost.
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