NTSB Focuses on Construction Work During Bridge Collapse

Shannon Weidemann

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The National Transportation Safety Board is now interviewing members of the road construction team that were working on the 35W Bridge just before it collapsed. The Minneapolis bridge collapsed into the Mississippi River during rush hour traffic on Wednesday, injuring over 100 people.

The National Transportation Safety Board interviewed construction workers and gathered information on the placement and weight of equipment and materials, NTSB Chairman Mark Rosenker told reporters today in Minneapolis. The project had closed half the bridge's eight lanes at the time of the collapse.

``We need to have an accurate depiction of what the bridge was like at the exact moment of failure,'' Rosenker said. ``All of this data is critical.''

The southern end of the bridge has been inspected by the NTSB and they have found no defects. They plan on inspecting the northern end next.

Divers are slowly searching the wreckage in the water for victims of the collapse. Five people are confirmed dead and eight people are missing. A memorial service is planned in Minneapolis tonight to remember the victims.

For more information on this subject matter, please refer to the section on the Minneapolis Bridge Collapse.