Bridge collapse

Turn on fox news it's not even on the web yet.

It's in Minneapolis.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070801/ap_on_re_us/bridge_collapse

Ok, for a minute Fox news was the only station reporting it hence me saying Fox and not Cnn or posting any links.

Holy shit! I just drove over that yesterday! Wow I wonder how many have died. My condolences to their families.

3 dead so far. It's pouring rain here now, which will hinder the rescue effort.

Mayor just said 6 dead.


Thoughts and Prayers

YNWA

Our corporate office is in Minneapolis. I sent an e-mail to the CEO asking if anyone from our company was involved or injured.

How the hell did this happen?

I was just about to ask ....

Given that it's on the banks of the Mississippi, im going to make an almost completely unfounded guess and say that there were issues with the base the bridge was rooted in.

I bet there is a really smart engineer running around somewhere screaming "I TOLD you this was going to happen!"

They've been working on the bridge for a while...but they say it was just "resurfacing"

The last time that happened, a volcano erupted in LA.

In all seriousness, the foundation could be it. Looking at the second picture from the bottom, I'm curious if it was the span on the north side there that collapsed and pulled the supports back, severing the span over the water, or if it was vice-versa.

Holy mother of god. My condolences to everyone affected.

Also, is anyone else curious how the four road cones/barrels and port-a-potty are still upright?

I'm guessing heavy sand or water, and a Mexican restaurant 3 miles north of the location...in that order.

Crazy stuff. Thankfully I don't know or at least haven't talked to anyone on the bridge. Biggest thing that's happened to us since Prince.

are you saying assless pant did it in cube?

At any street corner the feeling of absurdity can strike any man in the face.

Actually, an anchor on Fox asked that question of some engineer guy they had on. He said that wasn't it; I think his theory was "fatigue fractures" or something--stress cracks over time. At any rate, that guy said that it had nothing to do with the stability of the banks of the river themselves (and from what I've seen, the photos seem to show the supports on at least one side of the river still standing, with the bridge itself draped over it).

All I'm saying is I'm not ruling out the possibility.

Montestruc?

All kidding aside, my heart goes out to anyone affected.

Actually, it didn't have any supports in the river.

Source

I wouldn't be so sure of that. When Johan Santana leaves the Twins, fans will be in droves falling into the river because they were trying to jump off a bridge that no longer is there.

Bush is already denying any resposibility blaming it all on the state. However since this is an INTERSTATE TOLL-FREE HIGHWAY which depends at least in part on FEDERAL funds and since BUSH has cut these same funds..........................................

"The White House said Thursday that an inspection two years ago found structural deficiencies in the highway bridge that buckled during evening rush hour in Minneapolis.


White House press secretary Tony Snow said the Interstate 35W span rated 50 on a scale of 120 for structural stability.


"This doesn't mean there was a risk of failure, but if an inspection report identifies deficiencies, the state is responsible for taking corrective actions," he said. The bridge was 40 years old."

bush knocked down the bridge