First Video of Minneapolis Bridge Collapse (NewsTv)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - 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 seven 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.

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

Jamie Winegar of Houston was sitting in traffic shortly after 6 p.m. when all of a sudden she started hearing "boom, boom, boom and we were just dropping, dropping, dropping, dropping."

The car she was riding in landed on top of a smaller car but did not fall into the water. She said her nephew yelled, "'It's an earthquake!' and then we realized the bridge was collapsing."

Minneapolis Fire Chief Jim Clack said 60 people were taken to area hospitals for treatment and that the death toll could rise.

Rescuers called off the search as nightfall made it too dangerous to search the waters filled with chucks of the mangled bridge and at least 50 vehicles in the water.

"We think there are several more vehicles in the river we can't see yet," Clack said, adding that the likelihood of finding survivors was slim.

Authorities referred family members searching for missing loved ones to a nearby hotel, where the Red Cross had set up operations.

Dr. Joseph Clinton, emergency medical chief at Hennepin County Medical Center, said his hospital treated 28 injured people—including six who were in critical condition.

Clinton said at least one of the victims had drowned.

The Homeland Security Department also said the collapse did not appear to be terrorism-related. The National Transportation Safety Board planned to send a team of investigators to Minneapolis, NTSB spokesman Ted Lopatkiewicz said.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty said the bridge was inspected by the Minnesota Department of Transportation in 2005 and 2006 and that no structural problems were noted. "There were some minor things that needed attention," he said.

Police Chief Tim Dolan said officers were checking other bridges as a precaution.

The steel-arched bridge, which was built in 1967, rose about 64 feet above the river and stretched about 1,900 feet across the river. The bridge was built with a single 458-foot-long steel arch to avoid putting any piers in the water that might interfere with river navigation.

A burning truck and a school bus clung to one slanted slab. The bus had just crossed the bridge before it crumpled into pieces.

Christine Swift's 10-year-old daughter, Kaleigh, was on the bus returning from a field trip and called her mother. "She was screaming, 'The bridge collapsed!'" Swift said.

She said a police officer told her all the kids got off the bus safely.

It appeared that the center section of the bridge dropped straight down and pancaked in the middle of the river, leaving several vehicles stranded on a broken island of wreckage. As divers plumbed the waters, other rescuers searched frantically for victims amid broken, zigzagged sections of blacktop. Some of the injured were carried up the riverbanks.

Dozens of vehicles were scattered and stacked on top of each other amid the rubble. Some people were stranded on parts of the bridge that weren't completely in the water.

Many motorists could have been headed to the Minnesota Twins game not far from the bridge. Team officials decided to play the game after conferring with department of public safety officials. It was decided that sending 20,000-25,000 people back into traffic could hinder rescue efforts, said team president Dave St. Peter.

Catherine Yankelevich survived a 1994 earthquake in Northridge, Calif., and was on the I-35W bridge when it began to shake. "Cars started flying and I was falling and saw the water," she said. After her car plunged into the river, she climbed out the driver's side window and swam to shore uninjured.

Road crews had been working on the 40-year-old bridge's deck, joints, guardrails and lights this week. "None of it would be related to the structure," said Bob McFarlin, assistant to Minnesota Transportation Commissioner Carol Molnau.

The bridge was scheduled for inspection this fall, he said.

Tom Sloan, head of the bridge division for Progressive Contractors Inc. said his company had 18 workers on the bridge at the time of the collapse and one was unaccounted for on Wednesday night. Three were hospitalized, while several others were treated for minor injuries, he said.

"Obviously, this is a catastrophe of historic proportions for Minnesota," said Gov. Tim Pawlenty. "And right now we are focused on making sure that we are doing everything to respond to the needs of those individuals that may have been harmed in this incident."

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More on MN Bridge Collapse (11 Videos)

Minneapolis bridge collapse – view from water

Some close up views of the devastation in the water.

REAL I35 MN Bridge Collapse security film US Army Corp

REAL I35 Bridge Collapse Camera footage US Army Corps of Engineers. Actual foorage of the real bridge collapse, from underneath it.

Bridge Collape in Slow Motion Part A

Here is a slow motion version of the I35 bridge collapse in MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota. The only edits made to the original video is to pause on each frame. Burton

Real time footage of the Bridge as it collapsed into river

Real time video from U.S. army copy of Eng. as the bridge collapsed into the Mississippi River in MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota.

Breaking News I 35W bridge collapsed into Mississippi River

August 1, 2007 A freeway bridge spanning the Mississippi River collapsed at 6:05 pm CST Wednesday, sending many cars into the water.
Some people were stranded on parts of the bridge that weren't completely submerged.
The entire span of the Interstate 35W bridge collapsed about 6:05 p.m. where the freeway crosses the river near University Avenue in Minneapolis.

Minnesota Bridge collapse

Bridge collapses in Minneapolis

Home Video-Minutes After Collapse

Bridge Collapses into the Mississippi river

The entire span of an interstate bridge collapsed into the Mississippi River during evening rush hour Wednesday 08/01/2007, sending vehicles, tons of concrete and twisted metal crashing into the water...

US freeway bridge collapses

A freeway bridge in the US has collapsed into the Mississippi river, killing several people.

Raw look at the MN collapsed bridge...

MINNEAPOLIS — The entire span of an interstate bridge collapsed into the Mississippi River during evening rush hour yesterday, sending vehicles, tons of concrete and twisted metal crashing into the water.

The Interstate 35W bridge, which stretches between Minneapolis and St. Paul, was in the midst of being repaired when it broke into several huge sections.

The Homeland Security Department had received no indications last night that the collapse was related to an act of terrorism, said department spokesman Russ Knocke.

"We continue to monitor the situation. At this time, there's no indication of a nexus to terrorism," Mr. Knocke said.

It was not clear how many people were injured. WCCO-AM reported that one body was seen being pulled from the area, covered with a blue sheet.

A burning truck and a school bus clung to one slanted slab, while at least eight cars and a truck were submerged in the river.

The bus had just crossed the bridge before it crumpled into pieces, and broadcast reports indicated the children on the bus exited out the back door.

Ramon Houge told the St. Paul Pioneer Press that he was on his way home from work on the bridge when heard a rumbling noise, saw the ground collapse and cars go down.

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Minneapolis MN Bridge drops 64 feet to river

08/02/2007

MINNEAPOLIS – The entire span of an interstate bridge collapsed into the Mississippi River during evening rush hour yesterday, sending vehicles, tons of concrete and twisted metal crashing into the water. The Interstate 35W bridge, which stretches between Minneapolis and St. Paul, was in the midst of being repaired when it broke into several huge sections….
- Patriot News (Articles) :

Bridge Collape in Slow Motion Part A

Here is a slow motion version of the I35 bridge collapse in MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota. The only edits made to the original video is to pause on each frame.

To Date Stats:
About 50 vehicles are trapped in the rubble or in the river
Twenty to 30 people were missing as per Minneapolis police Chief Tim Dolan.
4 people were confirmed dead
At least 79 people were injured

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Read More at PN

• Tags: Bridge, Mississippi River, interstate bridge collapsed, Minneapolis MN

Minneapolis 35W Bridge Falls Into Mississippi River (12 Videos)

• Bridge Collapse

• Highway 35W Collapses, Minneapolis, MN (Part 1)

The Highway 35W Bridge across the Mississippi in Minneapolis, MN just collapsed shortly after rush hour. Here is footage from my balcony.

• 35W bridge collapsed into Mississippi River

August 1, 2007 A freeway bridge spanning the Mississippi River collapsed at 6:05 pm CST Wednesday, sending many cars into the water.
Some people were stranded on parts of the bridge that weren’t completely submerged.
The entire span of the Interstate 35W bridge collapsed about 6:05 p.m. where the freeway crosses the river near University Avenue in Minneapolis.

• I 35 Bridge Collapse Minneapolis Local News Coverage

Local news coverage an hour after I 35 bridge collapse.

• 35 W Bridge Collape in Minneapolis – 8/1/2007 many injured

• Minneapolis Bridge Collapse Raw News Breaking

• 35w Bridge Collapse Aftermath

8/1/07 at 6:05pm a span of Interstate 35w collapses into the Mississippi River. This is a brief video of the aftermath.

• Bridge collapses in Minneapolis, MN. 01_08_2007

A busy bridge carrying a state highway had collapsed in Minneapolis involving several vehicles on Wednesday during rush hour.

Cars, trucks and a schoolbus driving on the four-liner Route 35W around 6pm fell into the waters of the Mississippi River.

Injured were given first aid by dozens of rescue teams on the scene. (more)

• Minnesota Bridge Collapse Tribute:Accident And Responders

A very sad moment in history happened today in Minneapolis, Minnesota when a span bridge collapsed killing a growning number of people. This video is dedicated to the responders throughout Minnesota and the victims of this terrible tragedy. Music
1.Don’t Stop Believing (Journey)
2.Wheel in the Sky (Journey)

• Tragedy in Minnesota

The bridge over the Mississippi River to and from Minneapolis / St. Paul Minnesota collapsed during rush hour on Wednesday.
8/1/07 6:05 PM

• Bridge collapse I-35W Minneapolis- RAW UNEDITED video WCCO

NO SOUND- Raw, unedited footage from the air, WCCO Minneapolis, MN. Collapse of the I-35W bridge crossing the Mississippi River from Minneapolis to St. Paul, Minnesota. The collapse occurred Wednesday, August 1, 2007, 6:05 pm CDT during rush hour.

• I – 35W Bridge Collapse minneapolis minnesota (Amatuer Video)

My raw video from the bridge collapse

Tags: Bridge, Mississippi River, interstate bridge collapsed, Minneapolis MN

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