Terrorism is not suspected. Rescue efforts are still underway and the death toll continues to rise:
The bridge was undergoing redecking work, but nothing structural was being done, U.S. Transportation Department spokesman Brian Turmail said.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security had no indication that terrorism played a role in the disaster, Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minnesota, told CNN.
Coleman said Gov. Tim Pawlenty had told him the 40-year-old bridge was inspected and “given a clean bill of health” three years ago.
The nearby University of Minnesota Medical Center received “just a handful” of injuries from the accident, spokesman Ryan Davenport said.
“One of our hospitals has five patients so far, and the other on the other side of the river has none,” he said.
Nancy Ebert of Northwestern Hospital said it had received four injured people — two children and two adults.
Dr. Joseph Clinton, chief of emergency medicine at Hennepin County Medical Center, said the hospital is treating 28 injured people, six of them critically hurt.
He also said the hospital received one patient who was pronounced dead on arrival. “We have one drowning victim here, and I believe there are more drowning victims at the scene,” he said.
CNN has live video.
Update:
Good news this morning. The death toll has been lowered to four. That good news may be temporary as up to 20 people are believed to be missing.
Update II:
Security camera footage of the collapase is available on liveleak.
2 Responses
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August 1st, 2007 at 10:56 pm
God bless our city.
August 2nd, 2007 at 3:57 am
Hi guys I have seen this morning the images and videos of this sad desaster…my thoughts to the victims and blessed ones hoping that soon the city can find a “normal life”..
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