.bmp)
.bmp)
MINNEAPOLIS-The entire span of an interstate bridge suddenly broke into huge sections and collapsed into the Mississippi River during evening bumper-to-bumper traffic Wednesday,sending vehicles,tons of concrete and twisted metal crashing into the water.Fire Chief Jim Clack said seven people had died,adding,“We expect that number to go up.”Asked about the possibility of finding more survivors,Clack said,“The likelihood is fairly slim.”"This will be a very tragic night when this is over," Mayor R.T. Rybak said.Officials said at about 10:25 p.m.CT that recovery personnel had moved from rescuing individuals to recovering bodies.Police Chief Tim Dolan said all survivors who were on the bridge are now off."We've accounted for all the construction workers except for one,"he said.Rybak said rescue workers had searched around 50 cars.“We have a feeling that there are more vehicles under the water,”Clack said."Obviously this is a catastrophe of historic proportions,"said Minnesota Gov.Tim Pawlenty.The Interstate 35W bridge,a major Minneapolis artery,was in the midst of being repaired when it collapsed at 6:05 p.m. CT. Repairs,which closed at least two of the eight lanes,involved guardrailreplacement on the joints and concrete work,Pawlenty said."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."At least 58 individuals,at least 10 of them children,were injured,said medical officials.Six individuals being treated at Hennepin County Medical Center were in critical
condition,Dr. Joseph Clinton said.Clinton said the injuries were blunt force trauma to the
abdomen,head,trunk and extremities.NBC News reported that every Minneapolis ambulance had been requested to the scene.A freight train was passing under the bridge when it collapsed and was cut in two,reported witnesses on the scene to MSNBC.Police set up floodlights so rescue officials can work throughout the night.The Minnesota Department of Transportation told local media that 200,000 cars a day use the bridge.The bridge,built in 1967,was last inspected in 2006 and had no major structural defects or deficits,Pawlenty said."We were told the deck
would have to be replaced in 2020."
Highway bridge collapses
'It came pretty quick'
'Pandemonium and chaos'
Minneapolis bridge collapse
Witnesses: 'It was extremely bloody'
Hospital worker speaks about the injured
Collapsed bridge medical care
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20079534/
As in the days of Noah...
