Aug

1

BREAKING: I-35W Bridge Collapse Into Mississippi River

August 1, 2007 |

Cross Posted at Stop the ACLU

 

 

(WCCO)

Minneapolis The Interstate 35W Mississippi River bridge near University Avenue has collapsed into the river.Both the northbound and southbound lanes of 35W are lying in the Mississippi River.

There are multiple cars in the river and a couple cars on fire. According to one witness, there was a school bus full of children on the bridge.

Cars are still on the bridge.

Tons of concrete have collapsed and people are injured. Survivors are being carried up the riverbank.

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.

“It is just horrific,” said witness Marilyn Franzen, who saw the bridge collapse. Franzen said she saw a school bus that managed to stop before the going over the edge of the bridge that she said was carrying 20-30 children.

The road has been under construction since the beginning of the summer.

Stay tuned to WCCO.com and WCCO-TV for more information on this breaking news story.

FOX NEWS is reporting that there were bike riders and pedestrians on the bridge.

Major disaster…please keep all involved in your prayers.

UPDATE: 3 Sections have collapsed and a 4th section on the East side is in danger of collapse.

Bridge was 1950 feet long and 64 feet high.

Dept of Homeland Security is monitoring and says it does not appear to be an act of terrorism.

1 confirmed death and an estimated 30-50 people in the water.

UPDATE II:

CNN said it had confirmed three people had been killed.

Local media said a school bus taking children back to the city from a field trip was among the vehicles involved.

Reports on Sky News said all the children got out of the school bus, although some were injured.

HCMC doctor believes there are more drowning victims at the scene

Cell phone networks in the Twin Cities are jammed and people at the scene are having a tough time getting ahold of loved ones.

According to reports from the scene, crews on the Mississippi River are no longer in rescue mode but recovery mode.

“My truck got completely torn in half,” said Gary Bavanaugh, who was on the bridge when it collapsed. “The bridge started shaking and it went down fast.”

Bavanaugh said he was headed northbound on I-35W when he heard a huge rumbling and he saw a huge cloud of white dust as the bridge collapsed. He had his seatbelt on and said if he hadn’t, his head would have gone through the windshield.

Lots of good photos at Hot Air and Michelle Malkin
Lots of updates at Captain’s Quarters

Noah at Blanked Out was an eye witness…make sure to read his account of things.


Unpartisan.com Political News and Blog Aggregator linked with Cars fall in Mississippi after collapse


Comments

1 Comment so far

  1. Ryan Flattery on August 1, 2007 11:17 pm

    There would not have been any bikers or pedestrians as there are no paths on that bridge to my knowledge. The train cars crushed underneath were stagnant and had not moved in at least 3 years as I remember the graffiti from biking on a nearby road frequently.

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