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Added August 02, 2007
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(CBS) 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.At least six people died, the mayor said.The Interstate 35W bridg more
(CBS) 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.At least six people died, the mayor said.The Interstate 35W bridge, which spans between Minneapolis and St. Paul, was under construction when it broke into several huge sections, reports CBS station WCCO-TV.It was not clear how many people were injured. A witness interviewed on CNN said seven bodies were seen floating in the river.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.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 were not completely in the water.Local television stations captured video of injured people being carried up the riverbank. There was no official word on injuries, but dozens of rescue vehicles were there. Divers were also in the water.Gregory Wernick Sr., Rockford, Ill., drove over the bridge shortly before the collapse. He stopped to get a drink nearby and heard commotion so he went back.'I figure I crossed about 10 minutes before it happened,' he said. 'That's just too close to call.'He was standing about 200 feet away on top of a parking ramp with large group of people.'I've never seen anything like this,' he said.The Homeland Security Department had received no indications Wednesday night that the collapse was an act of terrorism, department spokesman Russ Knocke said in Washington.'We continue to monitor the situation. At this time, there's no indication of a nexus to terrorism,' Knocke said.'I thought it was just construction going on ... it was a free fall all the way to the ground,' said one person who was on the bridge at the time. 'Thank God I was wearing my seat belt.'According to that same witness it was bumper to bumper traffic when the bridge collapsed.Some cars are still precariously perched on the bridge. Sections of the bridge are mangled, some are pointing up in the air and some are in the river.'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.Bavanaugh said a school bus full of children was ahead of him. He got on the bus and helped children, who he estimated ranged from 8 to 12 years old, off the bus and off the bridge.'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 to 30 children.According to witnesses, cars are crushed and mangled under the bridge where it collapsed onto the shore of the river. Street signs also crushed cars.People are being sent to Hennepin County Medical Center which is very close to the scene of the collapse.The bridge was opened in 1967 and crosses the Mississippi River in Minneapolis.A maintenance project began about nine months ago repairing potholes and other concrete on the bridge. According to a spokesperson from the Mn-DOT, there was no work on the actual structure under the bridge.http://www.panthermoder ns.com
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