Updated August 17th, 2007

Several hundred feet of the Highway 35W bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota, collapsed yesterday in the midst of late rush-hour traffic, pitching dozens of cars into the Mississippi River and to the ground below. The bumper to bumper traffic was compounded by construction, as witnesses indicated that they were traveling at approximately 10 miles per hour when the bridge started to shake.

A surveillance camera happened to catch the Minneapolis bridge during the exact moment that it fell; it is a gripping and terrifying sight.

Reports indicated that dozens were injured, with injuries ranging from shock to severe blunt trauma injuries. The number of resulting deaths estimated by officials has ranged to 11 and more, but recovery crews are searching the murky waters of the Mississippi River for additional victims among the concrete, steel, and crushed vehicles. Survivors recounted their story to a reporter, saying they thought they were in an earthquake when their car plunged about 50 feet, landing on a smaller car. Apparently, no earthquake has been reported, and the bridge appears to have collpapsed purely from structural problems. A semi truck burned in the wreckage, cars dangled precariously, and a school bus filled with children was also trapped on the bridge, according to rescuers removed them from the emergency door.

According to media, government and responder reports, the 40 year old bridge was under construction and had been closed from its normal width of 8 lanes to 4, just two in each direction. According to the Star-Tribune, bridge was rated as "structurally deficient" two years ago and possibly in need of replacement. The newspaper said that rating was contained in the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Bridge Inventory database, a public information resource. A spokesperson for the Minneapolis Department of Transportation said "many other bridges around the country carry the same designation" of "structurally deficient," a frightening thought for any American motorist.

This is not the first bridge collapse in recent history in the United States, though it may be prove to be one the most deadly and dramatic non-earthquake bridge collapses. In a related story in Tampa, Florida, URS, an engineering firm, is still fighting a $120 Million lawsuit from the city for the collpase of an expressway bridge they were building, though no one was killed in that incident. Although it was unclear who is responsible for the Minneapolis bridge collapse at this time, the bridge division of Progressive Contractors, Inc. had up to 18 workes on the bridge at the time, one of whom remains unaccounted for.
 
In the days in Minneapolis of searching for victims, divers began to search the water for 8 persons as yet unaccounted for.  Cars and rubble have had to be pulled from the water.  A vigil was held on the Sunday after the disaster and nearly 1,400 came to honor those who lost their lives in the tragedy.

Governors additionally organized task forces nationwide to investigate the integrity of each state's bridge structures.

If you or a family member was injured in this, or similar bridge collapse or road construction accidents, InjuryBoard recommends you contact an attorney today to preserve and protect your legal rights.

-Updated by Courtney Mills