9 thought dead as Minneapolis bridge collapses

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."

Pawlenty said the bridge was inspected by the Minnesota Department of Transportation in 2005 and 2006 and that no structural problems were noted. “There were some minor things that needed attention,” he said.

The steel-arched bridge rises about 64 feet above the river.

Police Chief Dolan said officers were checking other bridges as a precaution.

Clinging to a slab
A burning truck and a school bus clung to one slanted slab after the collapse.

The school bus carrying 60 children reportedly had just crossed the bridge before the structure crumpled into pieces. The children, who have since been united with their families, exited out the back door of the bus. A Red Cross official said 10 were transported to a hospital.

Christine Swift’s 10-year-old daughter, Kaleigh, was on the bus returning from a field trip and called her mother. “She was screaming, ‘The bridge collapsed!”’ Swift said.

It appeared that the center section of the bridge dropped straight down and pancaked in the middle of the river, leaving several vehicles stranded on a broken island of wreckage. As divers plumbed the waters, other rescuers searched frantically for victims amid broken, zigzagged sections of blacktop. Some of the injured were carried up the riverbanks.

Ritha Boyle, 22, who said she lives about 200 yards from the bridge, witnessed the collapse.

"At first I just heard a big bang and I thought it was thunderstorms," Boyle told MSNBC.com. "Then I looked outside and I noticed there was dust coming up from the bridge, and then I saw it go down and hit a train. I saw some cars trying to hit their brakes and stuff like that, and a whole bunch of cars went down."

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 weren’t completely in the water.

Many motorists could have been headed to the Minnesota Twins game not far from the bridge.

Team officials decided to play the game after conferring with Department of Public Safety officials. It was decided that sending 20,000-25,000 people back into traffic could hinder rescue efforts, said team President Dave St. Peter.

Thursday’s game postponed
The team postponed Thursday afternoon's game against the Kansas City Royals in response to the incident.

The Minnesota Ballpark Authority also postponed a groundbreaking ceremony for a new stadium that was scheduled for Thursday evening.

The bridge was built with a single 458-foot-long steel arch to avoid putting any piers in the water that might interfere with river navigation.

Catherine Yankelevich survived a 1994 earthquake in Northridge, Calif., and was on the I-35W bridge when it began to shake. “Cars started flying and I was falling and saw the water,” she said. After her car plunged into the river, she climbed out the driver’s side window and swam to shore uninjured.

Workers have been repairing the 40-year-old bridge’s surface as part of improvements along that stretch of the interstate, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported on its Web site.

MORE FROM LIFE

Life Section Front

Weakening Ida drenches Gulf Coast   ‘Slow money’ gains momentum   Teen killed at hunting camp Dropout, 21, wins $8.55 million poker event Suicides raise worries about recession’s real cost Recession’s good news: Burglaries fall Life Section Front   Add Life headlines to your news reader: