Sudden failure of the cell-network clued me into something being very wrong here. A quick check on MPR revealed why. It's a mess. Our hope goes out to the victims and their families... http://www.kare11.com/news/ts_article.aspx?storyid=261140
OMG That is just too incredible. Sending positive thoughts, intentions, and energies to all those in Minnesota, and their families, affected by this. Wow.
I found out the same way, John. This is a horrible accident - keep all these people in your thoughts. I know i have several friends that take that bridge to and from work every day.
I just got home from work, was watching the Ch 4 news when Frank and Amelia (husband and wife anchors for those unfamilar) mentioned breaking news. They went to a break, when they came back, you could tell from their body language alone that this was something MAJOR. On a side note, did you notice the silver Prius on the one section of the bridge? It didn't look to have too much damage, but it looks like it was within inches of being crushed.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tleonhar @ Aug 1 2007, 08:41 PM) [snapback]488997[/snapback]</div> Saw the news on TV just now. What a terrible tragedy. Yes, I spotted the Prius immediately... Our family's about to go to Minneapolis for the first time at the end of this month to visit an old friend. In fact, just today we were looking to rent a Prius there, but alas there was none. No flex fuel vehicles either. Anyway, hopes and prayers to everyone there.
I was watching CNN's coverage of the bridge collapse in Minneapolis and saw a silver Prius. Not smashed, we wish the best for everyone there.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sbritt @ Aug 1 2007, 10:06 PM) [snapback]489035[/snapback]</div> Oh my god that's horrible . Best wishes to those involved and the families and friends of those in the accident.
Here is a link that shows the Prius a couple of times. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2o71i_freefall_news
It wasn't me... I live in the area, and this is just surreal. And scary as hell, really - I don't think anyone I know as a friend/family was involved, but I worry that some of my coworkers might have been. I think there are two other people from the Twin Cities on here besides myself. john1701a and someone else. Of course, considering the sheer number of silver Priuses I've seen around here, I highly doubt it was John. I hope that there are very few casualties from this. They've confirmed 6 so far, though (10:30pm)...
I heard about it from my wife. She called me while I was at Target (I hadn't had the news on this afternoon until after her call). Thoughts and prayers go out to the families of all who're concerned about friends and loved ones tonight.
John posted earlier: http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=36823 What a terrible tragedy... I'll save the jokes about the rescue workers helping the Prius. But I can't help but think about the fall out from this...after the initial shock everyone's going to want to know who the guy was that inspected and passed that bridge last...it won't be pretty.
It's interesting how complete the collapse is - the entire river span and both approach spans entirely demolished, yet I'm sure what failed was a single beam or sheer pin, but whose failure overstressed adjacent healthy structures in a rapidly accelerating domino cascade until there was nothing left to fall. In ancient times stone, labor and time was plentiful, and engineering still by guess and by golly, so bridges and building were WAY overbuilt. A failed section on an ancient stone bridge wouldn't take down the whole bridge. Today cold economics and engineering know how make us build bridges without an ounce more steel than necessary to carry the normal load - and nothing left over to save us should a single bolt snap in two. Perhaps we should reconsider some of our priorities. Mark Baird Alameda CA
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(airportkid @ Aug 1 2007, 08:55 PM) [snapback]489056[/snapback]</div> That's not true, and in the context of the current tragedy, is an irresponsible statement. Structures are engineered with a built in reserve to a certain percentage over expected loads, and governing bodies enforce the rules on local, state and national levels. In the case of bridges, the AASHTO standards usually apply. Minnesota DOT has a brief explanation of the load standards they use (based on AASHTO) at http://www.dot.state.mn.us/bridge/Manuals/LRFD/section03.pdf (PDF file). Where we have accidental structural failures in this country it is almost always due to either fraud or negligence by contractors or workmen, fraud at the materials level, or lack of adequate maintenance or other factors beyond what the engineering manuals can control. We do not risk people's lives to "save a buck" in our engineering standards.
We have a lot of aging bridges in this country. It is labor intensive to constantly be inspecting them to ensure there are no collapses. I'm surprised there aren't more. I doubt this had anything to do with a defective part or shoddy construction. I'll be it had everything to do with.....old age. And perhaps a careless inspection. Anyone remember the tunnel collapse in Boston a year or two ago? I'm just surprised there aren't more tragedies such as this given our aging infrastructure. (I've also heard our vast underground network of natural gas pipes is also entering the "possibility of a sudden tragedy.")
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Aug 1 2007, 11:45 PM) [snapback]489052[/snapback]</div> Major re-construction was going on at the time of the collapse. Chances are that played a big part. The contractors, engineers and the state will all be trying to CYA.
