USA: President Bush visits collapsed bridge
- ITN Source
USA: President Bush visits collapsed bridge
U.S. President George W. Bush visits site of collapsed bridge over Mississippi River that killed five people and left nearly 100 injured. As the search for victims of the Minneapolis bridge collapse continued on Saturday (August 4) U.S. President George Bush visited the site to see for himself the extent of the disaster. Five people have been confirmed dead and authorities said eight were still missing, after more than 50 vehicles plunged 65 feet (20 metres) into the Mississippi river and onto debris from Interstate 35W as the eight-lane bridge collapsed in a plume of dust, smoke and screams on Wednesday (August 1). Dozens of people were hurt, many suffering broken bones, head and spinal injuries. The death toll was certain to rise from the unexplained collapse of the 500-foot (150-metre) span. The U.S. Congress has voted 250 million dollars (122 million U.S. dollars) to rebuild the bridge. Battling the swift currents, divers felt their way around twisted steel and chunks of concrete searching for victims in the murky waters of the Mississippi River. The disaster was the worst U.S. bridge collapse in more than 20 years. Twenty-seven of the 98 people injured in the disaster remain in area hospitals, including five in critical condition and another five in serious condition, a hospital spokeswoman said.
ITN Source | August 5, 2007
