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| Bid to recover Mississippi bodies | Bid to recover Mississippi bodies |
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| US emergency teams are searching for bodies a day after a bridge over the Mississippi river collapsed, killing a number of people. | US emergency teams are searching for bodies a day after a bridge over the Mississippi river collapsed, killing a number of people. |
| At least four people are confirmed dead with up to 30 missing. US officials are not linking the collapse to terrorism. | At least four people are confirmed dead with up to 30 missing. US officials are not linking the collapse to terrorism. |
| Some 50 vehicles were hurled into the water when part of the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota, gave way during the rush hour on Wednesday evening. | Some 50 vehicles were hurled into the water when part of the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota, gave way during the rush hour on Wednesday evening. |
| Rescue officials said they expected the death toll to rise. | Rescue officials said they expected the death toll to rise. |
| Minneapolis police chief Tim Dolan said people were still trapped inside vehicles and the recovery effort would take at least three days. | Minneapolis police chief Tim Dolan said people were still trapped inside vehicles and the recovery effort would take at least three days. |
| "We're dealing with the Mississippi river, we're dealing with currents and we're going to have to do it slowly and safely," Mr Dolan said. | "We're dealing with the Mississippi river, we're dealing with currents and we're going to have to do it slowly and safely," Mr Dolan said. |
| Investigators are treating the area as a crime scene until they determine a cause for the collapse. name="back"> | |
| See graphic of the bridge collapse | |
| US President George W Bush said the federal government must "respond robustly" to help the people of Minnesota recover and rebuild the bridge as quickly as possible. | US President George W Bush said the federal government must "respond robustly" to help the people of Minnesota recover and rebuild the bridge as quickly as possible. |
| The federal Department of Transportation has offered an initial $5m (£2.5m) to help with clean-up efforts and transport issues. | The federal Department of Transportation has offered an initial $5m (£2.5m) to help with clean-up efforts and transport issues. |
| Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty said the collapse was a "catastrophe of historic proportions". | Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty said the collapse was a "catastrophe of historic proportions". |
| The 40-year-old bridge was undergoing repairs at the time of the collapse. | The 40-year-old bridge was undergoing repairs at the time of the collapse. |
| Mr Pawlenty said it was last inspected in 2006 and no significant structural problems were found. | Mr Pawlenty said it was last inspected in 2006 and no significant structural problems were found. |
| The bridge started falling, cars were flying everywhere and I saw the water coming up Catherine YankelevichLocal driver What caused collapse? It was like a movie - witness In pictures: Bridge collapse | The bridge started falling, cars were flying everywhere and I saw the water coming up Catherine YankelevichLocal driver What caused collapse? It was like a movie - witness In pictures: Bridge collapse |
| Russ Knocke, a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security, told AFP news agency: "There are no indications of a nexus to terrorism at this time." | Russ Knocke, a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security, told AFP news agency: "There are no indications of a nexus to terrorism at this time." |
| Traffic had been "bumper to bumper" at the time of the incident as only one lane was open in either direction on the eight-lane road because of construction work on the arched bridge. | Traffic had been "bumper to bumper" at the time of the incident as only one lane was open in either direction on the eight-lane road because of construction work on the arched bridge. |
| Tons of concrete crashed 64 feet (20m) into the water as the structure crumbled. | Tons of concrete crashed 64 feet (20m) into the water as the structure crumbled. |
| Enlarge Image | Enlarge Image |
| Injured people waited for rescue as vehicles dangled off the crumpled concrete and smoke billowed into the sky from the fiery wreckage of a lorry. | Injured people waited for rescue as vehicles dangled off the crumpled concrete and smoke billowed into the sky from the fiery wreckage of a lorry. |
| Some people managed to swim to safety. | Some people managed to swim to safety. |
| "The bridge started falling, cars were flying everywhere and I saw the water coming up," Catherine Yankelevich, whose car ended up in the water, told AFP news agency. | "The bridge started falling, cars were flying everywhere and I saw the water coming up," Catherine Yankelevich, whose car ended up in the water, told AFP news agency. |
| "The water was coming up pretty fast, so I rolled the window down... It seemed like a movie, and it was pretty scary." | "The water was coming up pretty fast, so I rolled the window down... It seemed like a movie, and it was pretty scary." |
| Some 60 children were led to safety with only minor injuries from a school bus that clung to the side of a collapsed section over the river. | Some 60 children were led to safety with only minor injuries from a school bus that clung to the side of a collapsed section over the river. |
| I-35W BRIDGE Eight-lane, steel-arch bridgeBuilt in 1967Used by 140,000 cars a day | I-35W BRIDGE Eight-lane, steel-arch bridgeBuilt in 1967Used by 140,000 cars a day |
| Divers and rescue boats scoured the water for survivors, but the operation had to be called off as night fell because darkness made it too dangerous to search the water among mangled steel and submerged cars. | Divers and rescue boats scoured the water for survivors, but the operation had to be called off as night fell because darkness made it too dangerous to search the water among mangled steel and submerged cars. |
| Huge roar | Huge roar |
| Police said officials had accounted for all but one of the construction workers who had been on the bridge at the time of the collapse. | Police said officials had accounted for all but one of the construction workers who had been on the bridge at the time of the collapse. |
| Eyewitnesses said they heard a huge roar as the structure fell into the river. | Eyewitnesses said they heard a huge roar as the structure fell into the river. |
| "What I first heard was a giant rumbling sound from my apartment," Mark Lacroix told the BBC. | "What I first heard was a giant rumbling sound from my apartment," Mark Lacroix told the BBC. |
| "I'm 20 storeys up, just a stone's throw from the bridge itself, and I thought, maybe my own building was coming down, it was an amazing noise. And I look out of the window and I see just the final moments of it collapsing into the river. | "I'm 20 storeys up, just a stone's throw from the bridge itself, and I thought, maybe my own building was coming down, it was an amazing noise. And I look out of the window and I see just the final moments of it collapsing into the river. |
| "It really took quite a while for me to realise that this was not a planned explosion... to realise it was a tragedy." | "It really took quite a while for me to realise that this was not a planned explosion... to realise it was a tragedy." |
| Return Are you in Minneapolis? Have you seen the collapsed bridge? Use the form below to send us your eyewitness accounts. | Return Are you in Minneapolis? Have you seen the collapsed bridge? Use the form below to send us your eyewitness accounts. |
| You can send pictures and video to: yourpics@bbc.co.uk or to send via MMS please dial 61124. | You can send pictures and video to: yourpics@bbc.co.uk or to send via MMS please dial 61124. |
| Do not endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | Do not endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. |
| Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video | Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video |
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