List of bridge failures

This is a list of bridge failures.

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Contents

Bridge failures

This is a list of bridge failures including failures during construction. This list may be sorted by any field.[1]

Bridge Location Country Date Construction type, use of bridge Reason Number death/injuries Damage Comments
Stirling
Bridge		 Stirling Scotland 01297-09 September 1297 Beam and trestle over the River Forth Overload by attackers during the Battle of Stirling Bridge Unknown, English forces defeated Bridge rendered unusable Collapse may have been assisted by defending forces.
Rialto
Bridge		 Venice Venetian Republic 01444 1444 Wooden structure with central drawbridge. Overload by spectators during the wedding of the Marquess of Ferrara. Unknown Bridge total damage
Broughton
Suspension
Bridge		 Broughton, Greater Manchester England 01831-04-12 12 April 1831 Suspension bridge over River Irwell Bolt snapped due to mechanical resonance caused by marching soldiers 20 injured Collapsed at one end, bridge quickly rebuilt and strengthened Collapse due to faulty design. Caused "break step" rule to be issued to UK military.
Yarmouth
Bridge		 Great Yarmouth England 01845-05-02 2 May 1845 Suspension bridge People had crowded onto the bridge to see a circus clown go down the river in a barrel pulled by geese. The weight of people shifted as the barrel passed underneath, the suspension chains on the south side snapped and the bridge deck tipped over. 79 people drowned, mainly children. Suspension chains snapped due to overload.
Dee bridge Chester England 01847-05-24 24 May 1847 Cast iron beam bridge over the River Dee Overload by passenger train on faulty structure 5 killed Bridge rendered unusable Collapse due to faulty design.
Angers Bridge Angers France 01850-04-16 16 April 1850 Suspension bridge over Maine River Wind and possibly resonance of soldiers led to collapse 226 killed, unknown injured Bridge total damage
Gasconade Bridge Gasconade, Missouri United States 01855-11-01 1 November 1855 Wooden rail bridge Inaugural run of Pacific Railroad conducted before bridge's temporary trestle work was replaced with permanent structure 31 killed, hundreds injured Span from anchorage to first pier destroyed
Desjardins Canal bridge Desjardins Canal, Ontario Canada 01857-03-12 12 March 1857 Rail bridge Mechanical force due to broken locomotive front axle 59 killed
Sauquoit Creek 3 miles (4.8 km) from Utica, New York United States 01858-05-11 11 May 1858 Railroad trestle Weight (two trains on the same trestle) 9 killed, 55 injured
Springbrook bridge Between Mishawaka and South Bend, Indiana United States 01859-06-27 27 June 1859 Railroad embankment bridge Washout 41 killed (some accounts of 60 to 70) Known as the Great Mishawaka Train Wreck or South Bend train wreck
Wootton bridge collapse Wootton England 01860-06-11 11 June 1860 Cast iron rail bridge cast iron beams cracked and failed 2 killed total damage to floor flawed design using unreliable cast iron, failed from a repair
Bull bridge accident Ambergate England 01860-09-26 26 September 1860 Cast iron rail bridge cast iron beam cracked and failed 0 killed 0 injured total collapse of bridge bridge collapsed while freight train was on it; engine had passed bridge; rear cars had not yet gone onto it; train moving slowly due to fog and darkness
Platte Bridge Railroad Tragedy St. Joseph, Missouri United States 01861-09-03 3 September 1861 Sabotage by Confederate partisans during US Civil War. 17-20 killed, 100 injured
Chunky Creek Train Wreck near Hickory, Mississippi United States 01863 1863 Winter flood caused a debris build-up which shifted the bridge trestle.
train bridge Wood River Junction 01873-Expression error: Unrecognised word "aprul"-19 19 1873 Washaway
Portage Bridge Portageville, New York United States 01875-05-05 5 May 1875 Wooden beam bridge over the Genesee River Fire 0 killed 0 injured Bridge was a total loss Fire destroyed all but the concrete abutments
bridge between Valparaiso and Santiago Chile 01875-07 July 1875 Collapsed beneath the overnight train
Ashtabula River Railroad Disaster Ashtabula, Ohio United States 01876-12-29 29 December 1876 Wrought iron truss bridge Possible fatigue failure of cast iron elements 92 killed, 64 injured Bridge total damage
Tay Rail Bridge Dundee Scotland 01879-12-28 28 December 1879 Continuous girder bridge, wrought iron framework on cast iron columns, railway bridge Faulty design, construction and maintenance, collapsed because of structural deterioration and wind load exceeding estimate 75 killed (60 known dead), no survivors Bridge unusable, girders partly reused, train damaged Locomotive was saved from the Tay and was still in use 19 years later known as "The Diver". The disaster was immortalized in a poem by "Scotland's worst poet", William McGonagall
Inverythan rail accident Aberdeenshire Scotland 01882-11-27 27 November 1882 Cast iron girder rail bridge Hidden defects in cast iron caused collapse as train was passing over 5 killed, 17 injured Bridge rebuilt Board of Trade issued warning about similar under-bridges.
New York 1882 Railway Bridge ex-President Grant on board [2]
Camberwell road accident London England 01884-05-15 15 May 1884 Cast iron trough girder bridge over railway Hidden defects in cast iron caused collapse of four girders 0 killed, 1 injured Bridge rebuilt
Bussey bridge Boston United States 01887-03-14 14 March 1887 Iron railroad bridge collapses under train poor construction[3] 30 killed, 40 injured Bridge rebuilt
Norwood junction rail accident London England 01891-05-01 1 May 1891 Cast iron girder fails under passing train Hidden defects in cast iron caused collapse 0 killed, 1 injured Bridge rebuilt
Munchenstein rail disaster Munchenstein Switzerland 01891-06-14 14 June 1891 wrought iron truss train falls through centre of bridge 71 killed, 171 injured
Point Ellice Bridge Victoria, British Columbia Canada 01896-05-26 26 May 1896 overloaded tram car collapses central span 47/53/50—60 killed (reports vary)
Eden train wreck Eden, Colorado United States 01904-08-07 7 August 1904 Wooden railway bridge Collapsed because of a sudden washout 111 killed, unknown injured Bridge completely destroyed  
Egyptian Bridge Saint Petersburg Russian Empire 01905-01-20 20 January 1905 Stone suspension bridge Disputed 0 killed, 0 injured Bridge rebuilt
Cimarron River rail crossing Dover, Oklahoma Territory United States 01906-09-18 18 September 1906 Wooden railroad trestle Washed out under pressure from debris during high water 4-100+ killed Entire span lost; rebuilt Bridge was intended as temporary, but construction of a permanent replacement had been delayed by the railroad for financial reasons.[4][5][6] Number of deaths is uncertain; estimates range from 4 to over 100.[7]
Quebec Bridge Quebec City Canada 01907-08-29 29 August 1907 Cantilever bridge, steel framework, railway bridge Collapsed during construction: design error, bridge unable to support own weight 75 killed, 11 injured Bridge completely destroyed. Redesigned, and rebuilding continued through the 2nd partial collapse in 1916 (below).
Romanov Bridge now Zelenodolsk Russian Empire 01911-11-22 22 November 1911 Railway bridge Collapsed during construction: ice slip cut of the scaffold 13 confirmed killed, ~200 missing Scaffold with workers had fallen on the ice and drown Bridge was completed later
Quebec Bridge Quebec City Canada 01916-09-11 11 September 1916 Cantilever bridge, steel framework, railway bridge Central span slipped whilst being hoisted in place due to contractor error 11 killed, unknown injured Central span dropped into the river, where it still lies today Rebuilt and opened in December 1919 for rail traffic, after almost two decades of construction. It is still the longest cantilevered bridge span in the world and is considered a major engineering feat.
Otsu Japan 01934 1934 Typhoon 11 killed, 216 injured
Swan River railroad bridge Fremantle Australia 01926 1926 Flood ? killed, ? injured Proposed replacement by Combined Bridge, road and rail.[8]
Appomatox River Drawbridge Hopewell, Virginia United States 01935-12-22 22 December 1935 Bus drove across the drawbridge when it was open. 14 killed
Kasai River Kasai Belgian Congo 01937-09-12 12 September 1937 Railway bridge While under construction. Began in 1935; Construction never resumed.
Upper Steel Arch Bridge (also known as Honeymoon Bridge and Falls View Bridge) Niagara Falls, NY – Niagara Falls, ON United States – Canada 01938-01-27 27 January 1938 Steel arch road bridge Ice jam in gorge pushed bridge off foundations 0 killed, 0 injured Bridge completely destroyed Replaced in 1941 by the Rainbow Bridge
Sandö Bridge Kramfors, Ångermanland Sweden 01939-08-31 31 August 1939 Concrete arch bridge Collapsed during construction 18 killed Complete loss of the main span Did not receive much media attention as the Second World War began the next day. The bridge was finished in 1943 as the longest concrete arch bridge in the world until 1964.
Tacoma Narrows Bridge (Galloping Gertie) Tacoma, Washington United States 01940-11-07 7 November 1940 Road bridge, cable suspension with plate girder deck Aerodynamically poor design resulted in aeroelastic flutter 0 killed, 0 injured (1 dog killed) Bridge completely destroyed, no person killed, but one dog killed and three vehicles lost. Became known as "Galloping Gertie", in the first 4 months after opening up until its collapse under aeroelastic flutter. Since that time all new bridges have been modelled in wind tunnels. Rebuilt in 1950; parallel span opened in 2007.
Theodor Heuss Bridge Ludwigshafen Germany 01940-12-12 12 December 1940 Bridge of concrete, Motorway bridge Collapsed during construction Unknown Bridge totally destroyed Resulted in delay in completion of the motorway crossing of the Rhine until 1953
Chesapeake City Bridge Chesapeake City, MD United States 01942-07-28 28 July 1942 Road bridge, vertical lift drawbridge Tanker ship Franz Klasen rammed the drawbridge supports, causing collapse Unknown Central span completely destroyed Bridge replaced by high-level tied-arch bridge in 1949
Ludendorff Bridge (often called The bridge at Remagen) Remagen Germany 01945-03-17 17 March 1945 Truss railroad and pedestrian bridge Collapse due to previous battle damage incurred 7 March 1945 28 U.S. soldiers killed Total destruction Capture of intact bridge offered significant short term tactical advantage to Allied forces. Collapse was not strategically significant due to placement of parallel floating bridges during the previous week
John P. Grace Bridge Charleston, South Carolina United States 01946-02-24 24 February 1946 Steel cantilever truss automobile bridge Three spans collapsed due to collision with the freighter Nicaragua Victory 5 killed Three collapsed spans 240 feet (73 m) were replaced and stood until 2005 when the bridge was closed following the opening of the Arthur Ravenel Bridge
Inotani wire bridge Toyama Japan 01949 1949 29 killed Construction of bridge and cause of collapse are unclear from text provided
Duplessis bridge collapse Trois-Rivières-Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec Canada 01951-01-31 31 January 1951 Steel bridge Structural failure 4 killed Total destruction Reconstructed
Footbridge at Harrow & Wealdstone station Wealdstone England 01952-10-08 8 October 1952 Pedestrian footbridge Struck by train(s) during accident 112 killed, 340 injured Total destruction It is not recorded how many casualties were due to the bridge collapse
Tangiwai railway bridge Tangiwai New Zealand 01953-12-24 24 December 1953 Railway bridge Damaged by lahar minutes before passenger train passed over it. 151 killed. New Zealand's worst train disaster. Bridge destroyed
Rail bridge near St Johns station Lewisham, South London England 01957-12-04 4 December 1957 Railway bridge Two trains collided and smashed into supports, collapsing part of bridge onto the wreckage 90 killed, 173 injured Bridge destroyed Unknown how many deaths/injuries specifically due to bridge collapse, since its effect was to worsen the train wreck
Temporary footbridge Havana Cuba 01958-02-25 25 February 1958 Temporary footbridge Bridge struck by an out-of-control Ferrari sports-racing car, driven by Armando Garcia Cifuentes, which then ploughed into trackside spectators during the 1958 Cuban Grand Prix 7 killed, 40+ injured Bridge destroyed Unknown how many deaths/injuries specifically due to bridge collapse
Second Narrows Bridge (Now known as Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing) Vancouver, B.C. Canada 01958-06-17 17 June 1958 Steel truss cantilever Collapsed during construction due to miscalculation of weight bearing capacity of a temporary arm. 19 killed, 79 injured Rebuilt 8 additional deaths during the course of construction
Severn Railway Bridge Gloucestershire England 01960-10-25 25 October 1960 Cast iron Two of 22 spans collapsed after two petrol barges collided with one of the support columns in thick fog. A third span collapsed 5 months later. 5 killed Demolished 1967-1970
King Street bridge Melbourne Australia 01962-07-10 10 July 1962 One span collapsed under the weight of a 47-long-ton (48 t) semi-trailer due to brittle fracture on a very cold winter day 0 killed
General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge Maracaibo Venezuela 01964-04-06 6 April 1964 Road bridge Ship collision 7 killed 2 section collapsed Currently in operation
Kansas Avenue Bridge Topeka, Kansas United States 01965-07-02 2 July 1965 Kansas Avenue Melan Bridge for traffic between downtown and North Topeka Structural deterioration Killed a Topeka man Single span collapse Suddenly collapsed about 5:30 p.m. on 2 July 1965, killing a Topeka man.[9]
Heron Road Bridge Ottawa Canada 01966-08-10 10 August 1966 Concrete road bridge Use of green lumber and the lack of diagonal bracing on the wooden support forms during concrete pour. 9 killed Rebuilt.
European route E313 (a.k.a. King Baudoin motorway/Boudewijnsnelweg) Bridge Viersel Belgium 01966-11-13 13 November 1966 Concrete road bridge over Nete Canal (Netekanaal) Collapse due to faulty design: the foundation of the piers was not deep enough. 2 killed, 17 injured Rebuilt.
Heiligenstedten Bascule Bridge Heiligenstedten Germany 01966 1966 Road bridge Ship collision 0 killed Bridge Rebuilt
Silver Bridge Point Pleasant, West Virginia and Kanauga, Ohio United States 01967-12-15 15 December 1967 Road bridge, chain link suspension Material fault and corrosion 46 killed, 9 injured Bridge and 37 vehicles destroyed Inspired the book Mothman Prophecies and The Mothman Prophecies (film).
Queen Juliana Bridge Willemstad, Curaçao Netherlands Antilles 01967-11-06 6 November 1967 Portal bridge Construction support fault. Bridge fell during construction 15 killed Bridge collapsed at the Punda side Bridge reconstruction started in 1969 and was completed in 1971
Britannia Bridge Menai Strait Wales 01970-05-23 23 May 1970 Railway tubular bridge Children accidentally set light to debris and railway sleepers and irreparably damaged the bridge No casualties Tubular section buckled beyond repair Bridge re-built to a new design using the original piers with a road deck over the new railway deck
West Gate Bridge Melbourne Australia 01970-10-15 15 October 1970 Road Bridge Collapsed during construction 35 killed 112-metre (367 ft) span between piers 10 and 11 collapsed Section sprung back and collapse during attempts to remove a buckle caused by a difference in camber of 11 cm (4.5 inches)
Cleddau Bridge Pembroke Dock and Neyland Wales 01970-06-02 2 June 1970 Box girder road bridge Inadequacy of the design of a pier support diaphragm 4 killed, 5 injured 70-metre (230 ft) cantilever being used to put one of the 150-tonne (150-long-ton) sections into position collapsed
South Bridge, Koblenz Koblenz Germany 01971-11-10 10 November 1971 Road bridge Bridge bent into Rhine 13 killed, unknown injured Bridge completely destroyed  
Sidney Lanier Bridge Brunswick, Georgia United States 01972-11-07 7 November 1972 Vertical Lift Bridge over the South Brunswick River Struck by the freighter African Neptune 10 deaths, multiple injuries Several spans knocked out Repaired during 1972-73 then completely replaced with a new cable-stayed bridge in 2003
Welland Canal Bridge No. 12 Port Robinson, Ontario Canada 01974-08-25 25 August 1974 Vertical lift bridge over the Welland Canal Struck by the ore carrier Steelton 0 killed, 2 injured Bridge declared a loss; new tunnel or bridge rebuilding costs were found to be unjustified. Remaining structure dismantled; passenger ferry instated. Car traffic must use the northern Allanburg bridge or the southern East Main Street tunnel in Welland.
Makahali River bridge Baitadi Nepal 01974-11 November 1974 140 killed
Tasman Bridge Hobart Australia 01975-01-05 5 January 1975 Bridge of concrete, Motorway bridge Ore freighter Lake Illawarra collided with pylons. A 400-foot (120 m) section of bridge collapsed onto freighter and into the river. Four cars drove off bridge 12 killed (7 ship crewman and 5 motorists) 2 pylons and three sections of bridge collapsed, ore freighter sank, 4 cars fell into river City of Hobart was split in two. Residents living in the east were forced to make a 50 kilometres (31 mi) trip to the CBD via the next bridge to the north. Missing sections were reconstructed and the bridge reopened on 8 October 1977
Reichsbrücke Vienna Austria 01976-08-01 1 August 1976 Road bridge with tram Column fractured 1 killed, 0 injured Bridge, one bus and a lorry destroyed, ships damaged Concrete of the column had never been examined, was internally totally destroyed; "higher force"
Granville Railway Bridge Sydney Australia 01977-01-18 18 January 1977 Vehicle overpass Passenger train passing underneath highway overpass derailed and collided with pylons. Section of bridge collapsed onto train cars. 83 killed, 210 injured Bridge destroyed
Benjamin Harrison Memorial Bridge Hopewell, Virginia United States 01977-02-24 24 February 1977 Lift bridge An ocean-going tanker ship, the 5,700 ton, 523-ft long S.S. Marine Floridian struck the bridge collapsing a section of the bridge. 0 killed, minor injuries Section of bridge destroyed Bridge repaired
Green Island Bridge Troy, New York United States 01977-03-15 15 March 1977 Lift bridge Flooding undermined the lift span pier resulting in the western lift tower and roadbed span of the bridge collapsing into the Hudson River. 0 killed, 0 injured Bridge destroyed
Hood Canal Floating Bridge (William A. Bugge Bridge) Olympic, Washington United States 01979-02-13 13 February 1979 Floating bridge Blown pontoon hatches combined with extreme windstorm 0 killed, 0 injured Western drawspan and western pontoons sunk; other sections survived. Lost portions rebuilt 1979-1982; the remainder of the bridge has since been replaced.
Almöbron (Tjörnbron) Stenungsund Sweden 01980-01-18 18 January 1980 Steel arch bridge Ship collision during bad visibility (mist) 8 killed, unknown injured Bridge and several cars destroyed
Sunshine Skyway Bridge near St. Petersburg, FL United States 01980-05-09 9 May 1980 Steel cantilever bridge Ship collision 35 killed, 1 injured 1,200 feet (370 m) of southbound span, several cars and a bus destroyed Turned into state-run fishing pier/replaced with cable-stayed bridge
Hayakawa wire bridge Saito, Kyūshū Japan 01980 1980 Wire bridge (?) Lack of inspection and maintenance for 10 years previous 7 killed, 15 injured
Hyatt Regency walkway collapse Kansas City, Missouri United States 01981-07-17 17 July 1981 Double-deck suspended footbridge in hotel interior Overload/weak joint/construction error 114 killed, 200 injured walkway destroyed
Cline Avenue over the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal and surrounding heavy industry East Chicago, Indiana United States 01982-04-15 15 April 1982 Indiana State Route 912 1,200 feet (370 m) of the bridge collapsed while under construction when a concrete pad supporting shoring towers developed cracks. 14 killed, 16 injured Bridge rebuilt Section between US 12 and the Indiana Toll Road renamed Highway Construction Workers Memorial Highway
Ulyanovsk railway bridge Ulyanovsk USSR 01983-06-05 5 June 1983 Railway bridge Ship collision 177 killed, unknown injured No collapse The span cut the deck house and the cinema hall, whilst the lowest deck was undamaged. The ship damaged the railway bridge and some freight cars from the train fell onto the ship.
Mianus River Bridge Greenwich, Connecticut United States 01983-06-28 28 June 1983 Interstate 95 (Connecticut Turnpike) over the Mianus River Metal corrosion and fatigue/Deferred maintenance 3 killed, 5 injured 100-foot (30 m) section of the northbound lanes fell into the Mianus River Collapse due to failure of the pin and hanger assembly supporting the span. Temporary span installed to re-open I-95; new Mianus River Bridge completed in 1990.
Amarube railroad bridge Kasumi, Hyōgo Japan 01986-12-28 28 December 1986 Strong wind 6 killed (One train conductor and five factory workers) An out-of-service train fell onto a fish processing factory
Schoharie Creek Bridge collapse Thruway Bridge Fort Hunter, New York United States 01987-04-05 5 April 1987 I-90 New York Thruway over the Schoharie Creek Improper protection of footings by contractor lead to scour of riverbed under footings. 10 killed, unknown injured Total collapse [1]
Schoharie Creek's Mill Point Bridge Wellsville, Amsterdam, NY United States 01987-04-11 11 April 1987 State highway Flooding None Total collapse The Mill Point Bridge is 3 miles (4.8 km) upstream from the Thruway bridge that collapsed on 5 April. Flood waters from the same flood that finally undermined the Thruway bridge were up to the girders of the Mill Point bridge. It was closed as a safety precaution. It collapsed six days after the earlier collapse.[2]
Glanrhyd Bridge Carmarthen Wales 01987-10-19 19 October 1987 River Tywi Train washed off railway bridge by flood waters 4 killed, including 1 school boy who drowned trying to rescue passengers
Aschaffenburg Main River Freeway Bridge Aschaffenburg Germany 01988 1988 Bridge of Motorway 3 over River Main Error in construction 1 killed, 0 injured Bridge total damage Partial collapse at Repetitive sliding
Sultan Abdul Halim ferry terminal bridge Butterworth, Penang Malaysia 01988-07-31 31 July 1988 More than 32 killed .[3]
Tennessee Hatchie River Bridge 45 miles (72 km) north of Memphis, Tennessee United States 01989-04-01 1 April 1989 Northbound lanes of U.S. 51 over the Hatchie River Shifting river channel, deterioration of foundation timber piles 8 killed Total collapse NTSB faulted Tennessee for not fixing the bridge before the collapse
Injaka Bridge Collapse Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga South Africa 01989-07-06 6 July 1989 300m 7-span continuous pre-stressed concrete road bridge over the Ngwaritsane River under construction. Incompetence and negligence.

Steel launch nose not structurally stiff enough. Incorrect temporary works slide path. Incorrectly placed temporary bearings. Incorrect feeding of bearing pads. Under-designed deck slab.[4]

 14 killed, 19 injured Structure destroyed. Rebuilt completed in 2000, now carrying the R533 over the Injaka Dam (Reservoir). Collapsed while being inspected. Victims include design and consulting engineers.
Cypress Street Viaduct Oakland, California United States 01989-10-17 17 October 1989 I-880 (Nimitz Freeway) Destroyed in Loma Prieta Earthquake 42 killed Structure destroyed, remains demolished and removed. Now a parkway. Replacement route for I-880 built elsewhere.
San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge connects San Francisco and Oakland, California United States 01989-10-17 17 October 1989 I-80 50-foot (15 m) section of the upper deck collapsed in Loma Prieta Earthquake 1 killed

Reopening on 18 November of that year. Currently (as of 2011) being replaced with a new self-supporting suspension bridge and approach spans.
Swinging Bridge Heber Springs, Arkansas United States 01989-10-28 28 October 1989 Pedestrian suspension bridge over the Little Red River Destroyed by pedestrians swinging the bridge 5 killed Structure destroyed
Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge Connects Seattle and Bellevue, Washington United States 01990-11-25 25 November 1990 I-90 Heavy flooding of pontoons 0 killed 2,790 feet (850 m) of the bridge sank, dumping the contaminated water into the lake along with tons of bridge material
Astram Line steel bridge Hiroshima Japan 01991 1991 Metro railway 15 Killed (5 workers and 10 civilians), 8 injured
Claiborne Avenue Bridge 9th Ward, New Orleans, Louisiana United States 01993-05-28 28 May 1993 Bridge connecting the "upper" and "lower" 9th Wards Barge collision 1 killed, 2 injured   Empty barge collided with a support pier for the bridge, causing a 145-foot (44 m) section to collapse
Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge) Lucerne Switzerland 01993-08-18 18 August 1993 The oldest wooden bridge in Europe, and one of Switzerland's main tourist attractions. It is believed that a cigarette started a fire in the evening. 0 killed, unknown injured 78 of 111 of the famous paintings were destroyed and the bridge burned nearly completely down. The bridge was rebuilt to match the original.
CSXT Big Bayou Canot rail bridge near Mobile, Alabama United States 01993-09-22 22 September 1993 Railroad bridge span crossing Big Bayou Canot of Mobile River Barge towboat, struck pier in fog; span shifted so next train derailed; impact of derailment destroyed span 47 killed, 103 injured Amtrak train Sunset Limited carrying 220 passengers plunged into water Bridge span had been made movable in case a swing bridge was wanted, and never properly fastened
Seongsu Bridge Seoul South Korea 01994-10-21 21 October 1994 Cantilever Bridge crossing Han River structural failure-Bad welding 32 killed, 17 injured 48-metre (157 ft) slab between the fifth and the sixth piers collapsed Structural failure was caused by improper welding of the steel trusses of the suspension structure beneath the concrete slab roadway.
I-5 Bridge Disaster Coalinga, California United States 01995-03-10 10 March 1995 Concrete truss bridge Arroyo Pasajero Structural failure - support piers collapsed 7 killed, 0 injured Complete failure of two spans on I-5 Due to extreme rainfall, the Arroyo Pasajero experienced high volumes of water at high speed. This caused scouring of the river bed undermining the support piers of both spans.
Koror-Babeldaob Bridge Koror and Babeldaob Palau 01996-09-26 26 September 1996 Collapse following strengthening work 2 killed, 4 injured
Baikong Railway bridge Ruyuan, Guangdong China 01996-12-20 20 December 1996 During construction 29 killed
Maccabiah bridge collapse Tel Aviv Israel 01997-07-14 14 July 1997 Athletes pedestrian Bridge Poor design and construction 4 killed, 60 injured During opening of the 15th Maccabiah Games, a temporary bridge over the filthy Yarkon River collapsed causing two deaths the same day and infected many with the deadly fungus, Pseudallescheria boydii, from which 2 more died later.
Eschede train disaster Eschede Germany 01998-06-03 3 June 1998 Road bridge Train disaster 101 killed, 105 injured   Destruction by train crashing into pillar of motorway bridge, which collapsed onto derailed train
Hoan Bridge Milwaukee, Wisconsin United States 02000-12-13 13 December 2000 Concrete and steel bridge Northbound right lane began to buckle during the morning rush hour and sagged a few feet below normal. Damage was said to have been caused by extremely cold weather, snow, and heavy amounts of traffic. 0 killed, 0 injured Partial Collapse Damaged section removed by controlled demolition and rebuilt. Remainder of bridge extensively repaired and retrofitted.
Hintze Ribeiro disaster Entre-os-Rios, Castelo de Paiva Portugal 02001-03-05 5 March 2001 Masonry and steel bridge built in 1887 Pillar foundation became compromised due to years of illegal, but permitted sand extraction and the central span collapsed. 59 killed Collapse of central sections Bridge collapsed when a bus was passing in stormy weather with fast river flow. 3 cars also fell in the collapsed section. Bridge Demolished and replaced by modern bridge
Asagiri footbridge Akashi, Hyōgo"2007 (A) No. 1634". Osaka High Court. 6 April 2007. http://www.courts.go.jp/english/judgments/text/2010.05.31-2007.-A-.No..1634.html. Retrieved 2011-07-06. "The 32nd Akashi Summer Festival was held in Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture, on July 20 and 21, 2001"  Japan 02001-07-21 21 July 2001 Whilst progressing to a summer firework festival, people stampeded and panicked 11 killed, 247 injured
Queen Isabella Causeway Port Isabel, Texas and South Padre Island, Texas United States 02001-09-15 15 September 2001 Concrete bridge for vehicle traffic over Laguna Madre 4 loaded barges veered 175 feet (53 m) west of the navigation channel and struck one of the bridge supports, causing a partial collapse of 3 sections measuring approximately 80 feet (24 m) each. 8 killed, 13 survivors Partial collapse The collapse had a significant economic impact on the region since the Causeway is the only road connecting South Padre Island to Port Isabel. The bridge also carried electricity lines and fresh water to the island. State officials brought in ferries to temporarily carry cars across the Laguna Madre. Repair cost for the bridge was estimated US$5 million.
Kadalundi River rail bridge Kadalundi India 02001-07-21 21 July 2001 140-year old rail bridge collapsed 57 killed (all drowned)
I-40 bridge disaster Webbers Falls, Oklahoma United States 02002-05-26 26 May 2002 Concrete bridge for vehicle traffic over Arkansas River Barge struck one pier of the bridge causing a partial collapse 14 killed Partial collapse Bridge was later repaired
Rafiganj rail bridge Rafiganj India 02002-09-10 10 September 2002 Terrorists sabotaged rail bridge, causing crash 130 killed
Interstate 95 Howard Avenue Overpass Bridgeport, Connecticut United States 02003-03-26 26 March 2003 Girder and Floorbeam Car struck a truck carrying 8,000 US gallons (30,000 litres; 6,700 imperial gallons) of heating oil, igniting a fire that melted the bridge superstructure, causing collapse of the southbound lanes 0 killed, 1 injured Partial collapse Northbound lanes shored up with falsework and reopened 3 days later; temporary bridge installed to carry southbound lanes. New permanent bridge completed in November 2003.
Kinzua Bridge Kinzua Bridge State Park, Pennsylvania United States 02003-07-21 21 July 2003 Historic steel rail viaduct Hit by tornado with 100 mph winds 0 killed Partial collapse The state decided not to rebuild the Kinzua Bridge.
Sgt. Aubrey Cosens VC Memorial Bridge, Latchford, Ontario, Canada 02003-01-14 14 January 2003 Partial failure 0 killed, 0 injured
Loncomilla Bridge near San Javier Chile 02004-11-18 18 November 2004 Concrete bridge for vehicle traffic over Maule River The structure was not built on rock, but rather on fluvial ground. 0 killed, 8 injured Partial collapse Bridge was later repaired
Mungo Bridge[10] Cameroon 02004-07-01 1 July 2004 Steel girder for road traffic Partial collapse Yet to be repaired
Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Bridge replacement project Connecticut United States 02004-02 February 2004 Collapse occurred in during demolition of the original 1940 span 1 killed Single fatality occurred when the crane he was operating was knocked from its barge by falling steel from the bridge
Big Nickel Road Bridge Sudbury, Ontario Canada 02004-05-07 7 May 2004 0 killed Collapsed onto roadway below during construction [11][12]
Veligonda Railway Bridge India 02005-10-29 29 October 2005 Railway bridge flood washed rail bridge away 114 killed
Almuñécar motorway bridge Almuñécar, Province of Granada Spain 02005-11-07 7 November 2005 Motorway bridge Part collapsed during construction, reason unknown 6 killed, 3 injured   A 60-metre (200 ft) long part fell 50 metres (160 ft)
Caracas-La Guaira highway, Viaduct #1 Tacagua Venezuela 02006-03-19 19 March 2006 Highway viaduct over a gorge Landslides 0 killed, 0 injured Total collapse Demolished, it was rebuilt and reopened on 21 June 2007
E45 Bridge Nørresundby Denmark 02006-04-25 25 April 2006 Road bridge Collapsed during reconstruction due to miscalculation 1 killed Bridge total damage [13]
Highway 19 overpass at Laval (De la Concorde Overpass collapse) Laval, Quebec Canada 02006-09-30 30 September 2006 Highway overpass Shear failure due to incorrectly placed rebar, low-quality concrete 5 killed, 6 injured 20-metre (66 ft) section gave way Demolished; was rebuilt, reopened on 13 June 2007.[5]
Yekaterinburg bridge collapse Yekaterinburg Russia 02006-09-06 6 September 2006 Collapse during construction 0 killed, 0 injured
Nimule Nimule Kenya/Sudan 02006-10 October 2006 Struck by truck overloaded with cement
Pedestrian bridge Bhagalpur India 02006-12 December 2006 150-year-old pedestrian bridge (being dismantled) collapsed onto a railway train as it was passing underneath .[6] More than 30 killed
Railway bridge Eziama, near Aba Nigeria 02006-12 December 2006 Unknown Unknown killed Restored 2009[14]
Run Pathani Bridge Collapse 80 km (50 miles) east of Karachi, Pakistan 02006 2006 Collapsed during the 2006 monsoons
Gosford Culvert washaway Australia 02007-07-08 8 July 2007 Culvert collapse[15] 5 killed (all drowned)
Highway 325 Bridge over the Xijiang River Foshan, Guangdong China 02007-06-15 15 June 2007 Motorway bridge Struck by vessel 8 killed, unknown injured Section collapsed Unknown
Minneapolis I-35W bridge over the Mississippi River Minneapolis, Minnesota United States 02007-08-01 1 August 2007 arch/truss bridge The NTSB said that undersized gusset plates, increased concrete surfacing load, and weight of construction supplies/equipment caused this collapse. 13 killed, 145 injured Total bridge failure Collapsed at 6:05PM beneath bumper-to-bumper rush hour traffic confined to 4 of 8 lanes due to resurfacing in progress. The rebuilt I-35W Saint Anthony Falls Bridge was reopened on 18 September 2008.
Tuo River bridge Fenghuang, Hunan China 02007-08-13 13 August 2007 unknown Currently under investigation, believed to be linked to the fact that local contractors often opt for shoddy materials to cut costs and use migrant laborers with little or no safety training 34 killed, 22 injured Total collapse Collapsed during construction as workers were removing scaffolding from its facade
Harp Road bridge [7] Oakville, Washington United States 02007-08-15 15 August 2007 Main thoroughfare into Oakville over Garrard Creek, Grays Harbor County Collapsed under weight of a truck hauling an excavator 0 killed, 0 injured Majority to total collapse; temporary or permanent bridge is needed. Approximate weight of load was 180,000 pounds (82,000 kg); bridge is rated at 35,000 pounds (16,000 kg). Residents must take a 23-mile (37 km) detour.
MacArthur Maze Oakland, California United States 02007-04-29 29 April 2007 Tanker truck crash and explosion, resulting fire softened steel sections of flyover causing them to collapse. 1 injured in crash, 0 from collapse Span rebuilt.
Shershah Bridge - Section of the Northern Bypass, Karachi Karachi Pakistan 02007-09-01 1 September 2007 Overpass bridge Investigation underway 5 killed, 2 injured Collapse may have been caused because of lack of material strength. The reconstruction is in progress.
Can Tho Bridge Cần Thơ Vietnam 02007-09-26 26 September 2007 Investigation underway 36-60 killed, hundreds injured Section buckled while construction was underway
South eastern Guinea Guinea 02007-03 March 2007 Bridge collapsed under the weight of a truck packed with passengers and merchandise. [8] 65 killed
Chhinchu suspension bridge Nepalgunj, Birendranagar Nepal 02007-12-25 25 December 2007 Overcrowded suspension bridge collapsed 19 killed, 15 missing
South Korea 02007-04-05 5 April 2007 parts of a bridge collapses during construction 5 killed, 7 injured Bridge being built between the two Southern Islands.[16]
Flyover bridge Punjagutta, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh India 02007-09-09 9 September 2007 during construction 15-30 killed [17]
Studenka Czech Republic 02008-08-08 8 August 2008 Train crashed into a road bridge over the railway under construction, which collapsed before the arrival of a train 8 killed, 70 injured
The Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Railway (CRANDIC) bridge Cedar Rapids, Iowa United States 02008-06-12 12 June 2008 Railroad bridge during June 2008 Midwest Floods 0 killed, 0 injured Three of the bridge's four steel spans were swept into the river along with 15 CRANDIC rail cars loaded with rock The Cedar River was still swollen in this image taken 10 days after the bridge's collapse.
Somerton Bridge Somerton, NSW Australia 02008-12-088 December 2008 Timber road bridge Heavy flooding None Collapse of northern span Bridge collapsed during heavy flooding due to poor maintenance[18]
Bridge on SS9 over River Po Piacenza Italy 02009-04-30 30 April 2009 Road bridge Collapsed due to flood of River Po 0 killed, 1 injured replaced by a temporary floating bridge 6 months later, then by a definitive new bridge that opened on 18 December 2010[19]
9 Mile Road Bridge at I-75 Hazel Park, Michigan United States 02009-07-15 15 July 2009 Road Bridge collapsed due to tanker accident 0 killed, 1 injured Police officer pulled over tanker to cause fire rebuilt and reopened on 11 December of that year
Malahide Viaduct Broadmeadow - 13 km (8.1 miles) north of Dublin Ireland 02009-08-21 21 August 2009 Railway bridge One span of viaduct collapsed after tidal scouring of foundations - first reported by local Sea-scouts. [20]
San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge Connects San Francisco and Oakland, California United States 02009-10-27 27 October 2009 I-80 Two tension rods and a crossbeam from a recently installed repair collapsed during the evening commute, causing the bridge to be closed temporarily. 0 killed, 1 injury During an extended closure as part of the eastern span replacement of the San Fancisco Oakland Bay Bridge over the 2009 Labor Day holiday, a critical failure was discovered in an eyebar that would have been significant enough to cause a closure of the bridge.[21] Emergency repairs took 70 hours and were completed on 9 September 2009. This is the repair that failed.
Tarcoles Bridge Orotina Costa Rica 02009-10-2222 October 2009 Suspension bridge built 1924, 270-foot (82 m) span. Overload by heavy trucks and dead loads (water pipes).[22] 5 killed, 30 injured Bridge total damage
Railway Bridge RDG1 48 over the River Crane near Feltham Feltham England 02009-11-1414 November 2009 Brick arch railway bridge built 1848 Undermined by scour from river.[23] No injuries . River span beyond repair. Rebuilt as reinforced concrete.
Northside Bridge, Workington. Navvies Footbridge, Workington. Camerton Footbridge, Camerton. Memorial Gardens footbridge, Cockermouth. Low Lorton Bridge, Little Braithwaite Bridge. Cumbria England 02009-11-2121 November 2009 Traditional sandstone bridges. Very intense rainfall produced extreme river loads that overwhelmed all the bridges.[24] 1 policeman killed All bridges destroyed or damaged beyond repair See Barker Crossing.
Kota Chambal Bridge Kota, Rajasthan India 02009-12-2525 December 2009 9 killed, 45 missing[25] Bridge collapsed while under construction
Myllysilta Turku Finland 02010-03-06 6 March 2010 Bridge bent 143 centimetres (56 in) due to structural failures of both piers 0 killed, 0 injured Demolished June–July 2010
Gungahlin Drive Extension bridge Canberra Australia 02010-08-14 14 August 2010 Concrete road bridge Under investigation 15 workers injured Collapse of the half-built span Bridge collapsed during a concrete pour.[26][27]
Kutai Kartanegara Bridge Tenggarong, East Kalimantan Indonesia 02011-11-26 26 November 2011 Suspension bridge Human error. Bridge collapsed while workers repaired a cable. (Under investigation) 20 Killed, 40 Injured (33 missing) Deck completely destroyed, 2 bridge pillars still standing

Undated

Bridge disasters in fiction

See also

References

  1. ^ For published analyses of bridge failures see: Biezma, María Victoria; Schanack, Frank (2007). "Collapse of steel bridges". Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities 21: 398–405.  or Wardhana, Kumalasari; Hadipriono, Fabian (2003). "Analysis of Recent Bridge Failures in the United States". Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities 17: 144–150. 
  2. ^ "Railway Accident.". Camperdown Chronicle (Vic. : 1877 - 1954) (Vic.: National Library of Australia): p. 4. 2 August 1882. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23343744. Retrieved 18 December 2011. 
  3. ^ Haine, Edgar A. (1993). Railroad Wrecks. Associated University Presses. pp. 55–56. ISBN 9780845348444. http://books.google.com/books?id=S7t8DW4iYDMC&pg=PA55&lpg=PA55&dq=Busey+bridge&source=web&ots=Tcj0lf2v1O&sig=0mSJtTdy1wFcbTo064dMfpa9XL8&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA56,M1. Retrieved 2009-01-10. 
  4. ^ Kite, Steven (September 20, 2000). "Corporate Greed Leads to Death in Oklahoma Territory". Oklahoma Audio Almanac. Oklahoma State University Library. http://www.library.okstate.edu/scua/exhibit/oaa/20sep00.htm. Retrieved May 18, 2010. 
  5. ^ "Dover". Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. Oklahoma Historical Society. http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/D/DO011.html. Retrieved May 18, 2010. 
  6. ^ Goins, Charles Robert; Goble, Danney (2006). Historical Atlas of Oklahoma. University of Oklahoma Press. p. 119. ISBN 0806134828. 
  7. ^ Sencicle, Lorraine (January 2008). "Dover Oklahoma". The Daughters of Dover: Dover around the world. Dover, England: The Dover Society. http://www.doversociety.org/DofD-Oklahoma.html. Retrieved May 22, 2010. 
  8. ^ "FREMANTLE BRIDGE.". Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900-1954) (Launceston, Tas.: National Library of Australia): p. 4 Edition: DAILY. 9 September 1926. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51361959. Retrieved 1 July 2011. 
  9. ^ Hooper, Michael (August 5, 2007). "1965 Flashback: Melan Arch Bridge tumbles". The Topeka Capitol-Journal. http://cjonline.com/stories/080507/loc_189135761.shtml. Retrieved August 29, 2010. 
  10. ^ http://www.cameroon-info.net/cmi_show_news.php?id=14860
  11. ^ "Collapsed Highway in Sunbury". http://www.northernontario.org/Specials/CollaspedHighwayInSudbury.htm. 
  12. ^ BIG NICKEL ROAD BRIDGE AT LORNE STREET HAS COLLAPSED
  13. ^ "E45 Bridge collapsed". http://www.dr.dk/Regioner/Nord/Tema/Brokollaps/20060426011328.htm. 
  14. ^ RailwaysAfrica 5/2009 p36
  15. ^ "Culvert tragedy: coroner blames council". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2008-09-18. http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/culvert-tragedy-blame-laid/2008/09/18/1221331006251.html. 
  16. ^ "South Koreans killed in bridge collapse". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2007-04-06. http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/south-koreans-killed-in-bridge-collapse/2007/04/06/1175366455336.html. 
  17. ^ "Hyd flyover collapse: 30 feared killed". http://www.ibnlive.com/news/30-feared-killed-as-flyover-collapses-in-hyderabad/48341-3.html. 
  18. ^ Chamberlain, Simon (8 December 2008). "Somerton Bridge closed indefinitely". Northern Daily Leader. http://www.northerndailyleader.com.au/news/local/news/general/somerton-bridge-closed-indefinately-after-18-m-in-flood-related-damage/1376032.aspx. Retrieved 13 September 2010. 
  19. ^ "New Po River Bridge". Structurae. Nicolas Janberg ICS. http://en.structurae.de/structures/data/index.cfm?id=s0060105. Retrieved 2011 August 6. 
  20. ^ Irish Bridge aftermath
  21. ^ DiGiacomo, Janet (2009-09-06). "Officials: Crack may keep Bay Bridge closed past Tuesday". San Francisco, California: CNN. http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/09/06/california.bridge.closed/index.html. Retrieved 2009-09-06. 
  22. ^ "Costa Rican bridge collapse kills six". London, England: New Civil Engineer. 2009-10-23. http://www.nce.co.uk/5209905.article. Retrieved 2009-11-01. 
  23. ^ "Failure of a railway bridge spanning the River Crane near Feltham in West London". Rail Accident Investigation Branch. 23 September 2010. http://www.raib.gov.uk/publications/investigation_reports/reports_2010/report172010.cfm. Retrieved 2010-09-25. 
  24. ^ "Gordon Brown pledges help for Cumbria flood victims". BBC News. 25 November 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8377314.stm. Retrieved 2009-12-10. 
  25. ^ 9 die in Kota bridge collapse, 45 still missing
  26. ^ Towell, Noel (25 August 2010). "Experts identify flaws in bridge formwork". The Canberra Times. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/experts-identify-flaws-in-bridge-formwork/1922511.aspx. Retrieved 29 August 2010. 
  27. ^ Dziedzic, Stephen (25 August 2010). "Poor formwork behind bridge collapse". Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC News). http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/24/2992277.htm. Retrieved 29 August 2010. 

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