Bridge Collapses Into Mississippi River

AOL News ^ | August 2, 2007 | PATRICK CONDON and GREGG AAMO,AP

[libstripper]

MINNEAPOLIS (Aug. 2) - An interstate bridge jammed with rush-hour traffic suddenly broke into huge sections and collapsed into the Mississippi River Wednesday, pitching dozens of cars 60 feet into the water and killing at least four people.

The eight-lane Interstate 35W bridge, a major Minneapolis artery, was in the midst of being repaired and two lanes in each direction were closed when the bridge buckled. About 20 families gathered at an information center, looking for information on loved ones they couldn't locate.

"There were two lanes of traffic, bumper to bumper, at the point of the collapse. Those cars did go into the river," said Minneapolis Police Lt. Amelia Huffman. "At this point there is nothing to suggest that this was anything other than a structural collapse."

Authorities had put the death toll at seven, but lowered it to four -- and warned the final number could change as divers search the Mississippi River.

[Hegewisch Dupa]

My shock at the very idea was represented (albeit poorly, I see) by the "I don't know what to say so here's a puncuation mark to express my pure shock" symbol.

You know, it works so much better with the cursing (@@$%&!)

[Lazamataz]

WOW!

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Bad news for the guy who signed off on the last structural inspection report. My guess is that it is no coincidence that the bridge was undergoing some sort of construction/repair work when it collapsed. Something happened that placed too much stress on key trusses, and the whole thing just fell down flat.

[MurryMom]

...taking out the river bridges would pose immense challenges, but there are ways around it and it wouldn’t be the end of America.

Yes, we can always go back to builiding rafts and taking ferry boats for crossing rivers, as in Abe Lincoln's day.

How well can you swim?

[evets]

"What's all this then?"

[Lazamataz]

I offer my sincere prayers: God, thank you for sparing the lives of the children in the schoolbus. May you grant peace, acceptance and serenity to the families of the dead and the injured. Lord, the souls who stand before you today: Judge them fairly and cover them with love.

[yldstrk]

I know...I agreed with you!

[Lurker]

Never heard of a 'barge' have you.

L

[Right Brother]

Oh MurryMom, thank God you’re alive! I heard they found a pair of hemp sandals and a bong floating in the Mississippi river and I thought you were gone.

[giotto]

"At this point there is nothing to suggest that this was anything other than a structural collapse."

And this is supposed to reassure us? An engineer on Coast to Coast last night said that at least 27% of the 575,000 bridges in the US are structurally unsound.

[joebuck]

That’s why I never minded duplicate threads. There are plenty of stories I never would have seen but for duplicate threads. That being said, I don’t have to pay for the server storage so I can certainly understand why the rule is needed and should be followed.

[Lazamataz]

What a metaphor for the Bush administration’s sorry policies including all of its failed legislative efforts in the U.S., the counterproductive invasion of Iraq, and its failed tax policies that have led to skyrocketing deficits and risks to our highways, bridges, and other important domestic infrastructure.

I note that you don't offer a single prayer for the dead, or the families of those who perished.... as I have.

I note that you don't offer a prayer of gratitude that 60 children in a schoolbus, survived.... as I have.

I do note that you take a cheap political shot in the face of tragedy, showing your lack of spirituality and cheap partisan shallowness, your banality, and -- yes -- your evil.

What a metaphor for the Democrat Party.

[Lou L]

Interstate commerce would totally be destroyed and so the end of America as we know it.

There would be some disruptions, but I seriously doubt that we couldn't overcome such a scenario.

[Wings-n-Wind]

THiiiisisssss.. sad affair....

Is the aftermath of controverted spending priorities and liberal/socialist politics...

Instead of caring for the basic boring/routine infrastructure that makes our public accomodations safe and sound...

We spray the people's money around.... The little victim groups du-jour,
And any goofy, PC "cause"....
That might garner a few votes in the next "want-me... love-me... keep-me....keep-me" election cycle.

We DO NOT have our priorities straight -- AND....

Unless we quickly renew the basic values of American life...
It will not only get worse...
It will be OVER... and IRRRECOVERABLE....
Past the tipping point... SOOON, if not SOONER.

It's time....
Wake up, people!!

Let's get with it...

Our beloved America is WORTH IT!!

******

More coffee please.... no decaf, thanks!

[freepertoo]

Thank the Lord, literally, for the high survival rate...especially that school bus full of children.

[MizSterious]

A tragedy has occurred—how convenient for you. You liberals will use anything, even a funeral of one of your own, let alone a lot of strangers you don’t know, to further your sick agenda.

[P-40]

I imagine that was a *state* highway crew doing the repairs.

[Suzy Quzy]

OMG!! I pray for your black soul....how can even you, the UBER DEMOCRAT be so callous? Do you not have any sympathy for your fellow countrymen, or do you just hate Bush soooooo much that you wish all bad to America?

[LibertyGirl77]

The return of MurryMom! LOL

Do the hand-wringers on this thread have any idea how quickly the Army Corps of Engineers can throw up a bridge when necessary? If, God forbid, terrorists took out all the Missisippi crossings, I bet we’d have limited escorted commercial traffic flow back up within a week, whether by temporary bridge or barge.

The end of the world as we know it is not that easy to make happen.