9 killed in US bridge collapse
MINNEAPOLIS: An interstate bridge jammed with rush-hour traffic suddenly broke into huge sections and collapsed into the Mississippi River, pitching dozens of cars 60 feet (18 meters) into the water and killing at least nine people.
Minneapolis Fire Chief Jim Clack said more than least 60 people were injured and the death toll could rise. The eight-lane Interstate 35W bridge, a major Minneapolis artery, was in the midst of being repaired and had several lanes closed when it crumbled Wednesday evening.
A highway bridge collapsed and hurled vehicles into the Mississippi River in central Minneapolis during evening rush hour on Wednesday, killing seven people and injuring dozens, officials said.
Cars were crushed under huge slabs of concrete, flipped onto their roofs or thrown in the river as the 40-year-old bridge, packed with vehicles in nose-to-tail commuter traffic, collapsed with a thunderous roar.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security in Washington said there was no indication of terrorism in the disaster.
The 500-foot (150-metre) span of the steel and concrete bridge, which carried an eight-lane highway and was under repair, buckled and fell into the river and onto concrete embankments at about 6:05 p.m. CDT (2305 GMT).
The span had stood about 65 feet (20 meters) above the river.
Minneapolis city officials said more than 60 people had been taken to local hospitals. Seven people were confirmed dead, but they said they expected that number to rise.
The cause of the disaster was not yet known, state police said.
Rescue boats and divers searched the water on a hot evening as thunderstorms threatened the area.