USFA Releases Report on I-35W Bridge Collapse

  • Apr 22, 2008

The United States Fire Administration recently announced the release of the Interstate 35W (I-35W) Bridge Collapse and Response Technical Report. The report examines the area's emergency preparedness for, and response to, the Aug. 1, 2007, bridge collapse in Minneapolis that killed 13 people and injured 121 others.

"To the nation's firefighters, collapse of structure is something for which they all plan and prepare," said Greg Cade, U.S. fire administrator. "The uniqueness of this bridge collapse, and the challenges faced by firefighters and their command staffs, offers an opportunity for firefighters across this nation to learn from the Minnesota response to this event. As a result, firefighters continue their efforts to prepare for any and all emergencies nationwide."

Just after 6 p.m. on the evening of Aug. 1, the 40-year-old bridge collapsed into the river and its banks without warning. At the time, there were approximately 120 vehicles carrying 160 people on the bridge. The impact of the fall broke the span into multiple planes of broken steel and crushed concrete. Cars, buses, and trucks -- all resting precariously along guardrails or suddenly unprotected edges -- crashed into other vehicles, partially embedded in the muddy river bank, or dropped precipitously into the river.

To download the report, click here.

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