Bridge collapses in Minnesota - Page 15

Papachubie · #**141** 08-02-2007, 05:40 PM

I live fairly close to this, 15-20 miles. So, there's local channels that have had this coverage for the last 23 hours straight. There was a report that divers went in the water to recue people in their cars, and there were people trapped in their car be debris and they yelled (from air pockets in the car) and said to the diver(s) "Please say goodbye to my family for me"

If that doesn't give you chills and tears.......

As of 4:38 pm cst, there is 4 dead and 79 injuries... For sure more fatalities since there is still 20-30 people missing.

suzzer99 · #**142** 08-02-2007, 05:40 PM

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Dr. Kahn also said that ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) had been telling Congress for years that a multitude of bridges needed attention.

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Well they should get it now. Business might be booming for you guys for a while.

Mr.WeakTight · #**143** 08-02-2007, 05:45 PM

I heard an expert that was formerly with the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) quoted as saying that anything that caused vibrations could have caused the pre-existing cracking to expand. possible sources of vibration include the construction and a train that was passing underneath part of the bridge.

Gov. Pawlenty is appointing an indepent third party to investigate.

Congress is already talking about spending at least $250 million to reconstruct the bridge.

scotchnrocks · #**144** 08-02-2007, 05:52 PM

What Dr. Kahn's saying makes sense and is a possible scenario. Is a recording of his interview on the web?

BTW, what year did you graduate? I graduated from GT 03 and 04 and took a couple of Dr. Kahn's classes myself.

Fast Food Knight · #**145** 08-02-2007, 05:54 PM

GT '05. Did not realize there were so many of us around here!

wadea · #**146** 08-02-2007, 05:57 PM

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I saw a safety expert on tv a while back who said that every car should have a window punch tool in it. I have one called ResQme that is on my keychain and also includes a blade for cutting seat belts. Amazon sells them for like 9 bucks.

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I've always thought people selling these items were fear-mongering. I still do. For one thing, the chances of you being in your car in the water are nearly non-existent. Multiply that by the chance that you'll be conscious or even alive by the time your car is in the water. Then consider the fact that you won't be able to find or reach that dang tool in such an emergency. I'd be curious to know how many lives that tool has legitimately saved. I'll set the o/u for the last ten years at 0.5 lives saved.

Papachubie · #**147** 08-02-2007, 06:00 PM

I am definitely no expert, and don't claim to be. But this bridge was a single span, one of 4 in the state of Minnesota. The reason for this was so there was no pier in the river, as the Mississippi is one of the largest barge transport rivers in the country. There were smaller spans to the north, and the report here is the contruction was re-surfacing, there was no work being done other then that. Even though it needed it.

HeroInBlack · #**148** 08-02-2007, 06:16 PM

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What Dr. Kahn's saying makes sense and is a possible scenario. Is a recording of his interview on the web?

BTW, what year did you graduate? I graduated from GT 03 and 04 and took a couple of Dr. Kahn's classes myself.

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I started in 1993, co-opped, dropped out in 1998, worked full-time, went back in 2001, graduated in 2002 at the age of 26. I never had Dr. Kahn. I went out of my way to get Dr. Emkin whenever I could. He's awesome.