Updated: 1:40 A.M. CST.
Seven fatalities have been confirmed, 20 missing, 60 injured but those numbers are
expected to rise. Operations at the collapse site have been suspended
for the night but will resume in the morning. Traffic rerouting for
tomorrow is being planned and will be posted on the Minneapolis web site.
The 35W highway bridge over the Mississippi river collapsed today at 6:09 p.m., sending rush hour traffic plunging into the river. MNDoT reports only surface repairs conducted on the bridge at the time. The portion of the bridge was near the Metrodome.
Governor Tim Pawlenty says federal support is in place. Plans being constructed by Met Council to deal with traffic issues in the aftermath of the collapse. Highway 280 will be transformed into a freeway with no traffic lights.
Bridge was inspected in 2005 & 2006.
Homeland Security has announced they do not believe this disaster is due to terrorism.
HCMC PATIENT INFORMATION LINE: 612-873-3131. People wondering about loved ones should go to the Holiday Inn Metrodome, 7 Corners ballroom, KARE TV reports.
Find out how to help at RedCrossTC.org. DONATION HOTLINE: 621-460-3700.
People are urged not to use cell phones unless absolutely necessary.
Elwyn Tinklenberg, Transportation Commissioner under Governor Ventura, said on KARE TV tonight that the failure to raise the gas tax in particular, and the reduced budgets for transportation are largely to blame for the bridge’s collapse.
I’ve been saying for a while that Minnesota’s infrastructure is crumbling; tragically, that has literally happened.
The follow are links to the news sources covering the disaster:
- Star Tribune – Graphic; Photos
- Pioneer Press
- Minnesota Public Radio – Live audio stream
- WCCO TV – Photo slideshow
- KARE TV – Live streaming video
- KSTP TV – Live streaming video
- Fox TV – Live streaming video
- Minnesota Monitor
- MNDoT Camera; more cameras
- MNStories video
- CNN – Live streaming video
- MSNBC – Live streaming video
- CBS
- ABC
- FOX – Live streaming video
- Google News
- Wikipedia page
- Eyewitness report; another account.
- Blog posts about disaster
- Twitter Tweets about disaster
- Metafilter discussion
- MNSpeak.com
- Bridge facts
- MNDOT Fatigue Evaluation of the Deck Truss of Bridge 9340
- Google Map of the bridge
- YouTube videos – None yet
- Photos of the bridge before the collapse
- Flickr photos; geotagged; ebrandt87; mrbula; Adam Wolf; Steve Schmeiser; Mordac; BreeR; Tubes; Thomas Boblett; .jasper; skybluewaters; diversey; photag37; waltzcore;
- Weather for downtown Minneapolis