Breaking: Bridge Collapse in Minneapolis

KSTP TV 5/ME | 8/1/07 | Me

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Just turned on the news. 35W bridge collapsed in the Mississippi River. Cars, trucks, semis.....

Fires burning, tanker trucks, at least one school bus, more than ten cars......

Just now breaking.......

[AndyJackson]

"It appears to be not terror related incident". I think this statement at that early stage of the game is premature and irresponsible. I believe they are going to cover it up even if there is a terrorist link to it.

As I posted earlier, if there were even relatively small quantities of explosive used, everyone in the vicinity could smell it.

[johniegrad]

St. Thomas is in St. Paul.

[small voice in the wilderness]

You, Blue, have just posted the MOST profound statement that I’ve read in a long time. If we fear, and doubt, maybe, just maybe, we have reason to. Thank you.

[Cindy]

http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1338478.html

“A call for blood”

Last update: August 01, 2007 – 7:52 PM

SNIPPET: “To donate blood, call the Red Cross at 1-800-GIVE-LIFE or Memorial Blood Centers at1-888-GIVE-BLD”

[Palladin]

Good point.

[AZGunSlinger]

Hannity is on now...whew. I can stay on Fox.

[mplsconservative]

Thanks Jeff. I’m a little numb watching this right now. Prayers are needed.

[SE Mom]

Hope that storm fizzles out and passes quickly..

[TomGuy]

[madison10]

How do they know? Did they invent star trek level scanners while no one was looking? IOW - it’s just a little early to rule out any cause.

My thoughts exactly. How can they rule out something 10 minutes after it happened without even checking? Make Homeland Security look majorly stupid.

[AliVeritas]

If it were only that section. Look a lot further back.

[AGreatPer]

Hannity taking over from Shep on Fox. Let’s see how he does.

[TAdams8591]

You’ll be able to check it out at least within the next few days and maybe even tomorrow.

[acoulterfan]

Any word from the owners of the construction company on this job? I am sure they are getting to the workers to keep them quiet until this is all legaly resolved.

[ninergold3]

Abigail -

Hopefully they are like lots of us who like to get to the stadium 2 hours ahead of the game and missed this completely. Phone lines are a mess and getting ahold of people is hard. Prayers going up for these two.

[sodpoodle]

Another HWY 35 bridge collapsed in 1987!!!

http://www.wvculture.org/HiStory/disasters/silverbridge03.html

The collapse of the U.S. 35 bridge between Point Pleasant and Kanauga, Ohio, killed 46 motorists.
________________________________________________________
QUESTION: Has that part of the Mississippi flooded recently?

[MplsSteve]

The sad part is that we really really need the rain. But not today. Not today.

[Cindy]

and Amen.

[advance_copy]

Sean Hannity doing an excellent job in this interview and with his reporting of the situation. He says a Minnesota department of transportation will hold a press conference “momentarily”.

[Petronski]

I believe they are going to cover it up even if there is a terrorist link to it.

Really?

I believe there are several factors at work here that could have contributed to a structural failure completely independent of nefarious behavior:

* Record heat
* Resurfacing operations
* Cracks in steel discovered in inspection last year
* Pile-driving in immediate area scheduled for today
* Redirection of traffic into single lane
* "Jackhammering" sounds moments before collapse began