Bridge collapses in Minnesota

Uglyowl · #1 08-01-2007, 08:21 PM

Pretty amazing stories (and live reports on FoxNews and CNN) coming from this story, please post as you receive them, I will do the same.

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The entire span of the 35W bridge collapsed about 6:05 p.m. where the freeway crosses the river near University Avenue.

Some people are stranded on parts of the bridge that aren't completely in the water.

A tractor-trailer is on fire at the collapse scene.

web page

JasonK · #2 08-01-2007, 08:30 PM

Ever since the bay quake in 89 I've been scared to stop under overpasses.

Vehn · #3 08-01-2007, 08:31 PM

I was in a bar with my dad watching this. This is a huge huge story. We put the o/u on deaths at 50 and likely 300+ injuries.

Uglyowl · #4 08-01-2007, 08:32 PM

Local media reported 20 to 30 injuries; 2 Dead.. (This is just initial, pretty freakin scary, I hate bridges to begin with)

tuq · #5 08-01-2007, 08:32 PM

[ QUOTE ]
We put the o/u on deaths at 50 and likely 300+ injuries.

[/ QUOTE ]
Holy Christ.

gumpzilla · #6 08-01-2007, 08:34 PM

I remember something like this happening (on a smaller scale) on an interstate in upstate NY near where I lived when I was growing up. Not having any sense for what interstates were back then, the sheer WTF of it was lost on me. But this is some scary [censored].

TheNoodleMan · #7 08-01-2007, 08:35 PM

CNN reporting busloads of 9-11 year old children on the bridge.

Vehn · #8 08-01-2007, 08:37 PM

35W is the biggest metropolitan highway and at that time of day was bumper to bumper on the bridge, way way more than 20 cars involved in this.

tuq · #9 08-01-2007, 08:37 PM

Just looked this up on Google Maps satellite. Although it crosses the Mississippi, the river by that point is relatively tiny, i.e. it isn't a long bridge at all. I'm always amazed when I go back to the Midwest just how much all the bridges look/seem though. Probably a rust thing.

EDIT: NM on the crossing, I had it crossing something else. If I have the crossing correct now it's right next to downtown Minny.

Wad · #10 08-01-2007, 08:38 PM

I have a number of friends in the Twin Cities, hoping everyone is OK.

I see on top of this that thunderstorms could hit the area in the next hour too.