[alice_in_bubbaland]

When the Homeland Security announcement was read, my husband & I looked at each other in disbelief. How does HS know it wasn't terrorism? Too soon to tell anything, imho.

My husband was on the nextel with his resident engineer and they can not understand how such a major structural failure could happen. All my husband kept saying was "I'm glad that I didn't build that!" He's a heavy construction, project superintendent, and builds bridges for a living.

[Paved Paradise]

I agree totally. I don’t know how anyone makes such statements so early on either.

Every time I drive over a bridge, I pray that the engineers and the builders were perfectionists and did not cut any corners. As the Bible says, “One who is slack in his work is a brother to one who destroys.”

[HairOfTheDog]

When the Homeland Security announcement was read, my husband & I looked at each other in disbelief. How does HS know it wasn't terrorism? Too soon to tell anything, imho.

That isn't what they said! Sheesh! They said they haven't seen any evidence that it is... but that they are monitoring it.

Would you people honestly rather they all started running around screaming TERROR! TERROR! every time something happens?

In my own limited experience with terrorism, generally, it shows itself... it isn't mistaken for an accident. Not for very long. Fercryingoutloud... Being obvious is the whole point.

[weegee]

The anthrax outbreak "wasn't terrorism" either. Neither was Charles Bishop/Bishra's suicide flight into a bank despite what his suicide note said.

The authorities have lied to us in the past and denied any terrorist intent even when they knew otherwise.

Not saying that there was any deliberate action by "man" to cause this tragedy. Just saying that a denial means NOTHING, they have outright lied in the past.

[TomGuy]

When the Homeland Security announcement was read, my husband & I looked at each other in disbelief. How does HS know it wasn't terrorism?

One of the TV stations was interviewing a bridge expert. Expert said that it was the super-structure that collapsed. The construction workers were doing resurfacing, which had nothing to do with the super-structure.

==

Around 50 vehicles fell into the water. Around 30 construction workers were on the bridge when the collapse began.

[Fester Chugabrew]

How does HS know it wasn't terrorism?

They don't. That's why they did not say it wasn't, and they did not say it was. They said "at this time it doesn't appear to be so." On what basis might they say as much (or as little)? I can think of at least three very likely reasons: 1.) The bridge is old. 2.) There has been ongoing construction in the area with stress placed on the bridge in unusual places, and 3.) A singular Minneapolis bridge is not exactly a spectacular, let alone strategic, target.