Reports: Design flaw caused Minneapolis, Minnesota bridge to collapse
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Investigators say that flaws in the design of the Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota may have caused it to collapse and that the design flaw is not "unique" to the Minneapolis bridge.
According to an ongoing investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the flaw was found in the steel plates connected to girders, which are large support beams used in construction and connect the plates together. It is reported that extra stress from construction equipment might have caused the plates to separate, causing the bridge to collapse.
The flaw has not yet been confirmed to be the source of the disaster, and the NTSB says that the investigation could take several months to fully be completed.
At least six people were killed and at least eight are missing, whilst over 100 are injured after the bridge collapsed on August 1.
Related news
edit- "Death toll up to six in Minneapolis bridge collapse" — Wikinews, August 4, 2007
- "Highway bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota, collapses" — Wikinews, August 2, 2007
Sources
edit- Monica Davey and Matthew L. Wald. "Steel plates may be design flaw in Minn. bridge collapse" — The Boston Globe, August 9, 2007
- "Possible design flaw in US bridge" — rte.ie, August 8, 2007
- National Transportation Safety Board. "Update om NTSB investigation of collapse of I-35W bridge in Minneapolis" — NTSB, August 8, 2007