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At least nine dead, 20 missing in US bridge collapse (1st Lead)
Aug 2, 2007, 11:19 GMT
Minneapolis - At least nine people have been confirmed dead and 20 people reported missing 12 hours after the collapse of a key Mississippi river bridge linking the twin cities of Minneapolis and St Paul in the US state of Minnesota, local media reported early Thursday.
Minnesota authorities reported that there was little hope of finding any more survivors of the disaster, which occurred Wednesday during the height of the evening rush hour.
Kristi Rollwagen, an emergency preparedness official with the city of Minneapolis, said that an estimated 50 vehicles were still submerged in the Mississippi.
As sunrise hit the area, relatives of the missing were gathering at the river's edge in hope of a miracle.
More than 60 injured people were transported to at least three hospitals during rescue operations.
Built in 1967, the bridge was undergoing non-structural repaving work this summer, and some lanes of traffic appeared to have been closed at the time of the disaster, possibly reducing the number of cars and casualties.
The bridge passed state inspections in 2005 and 2006 with some superficial problems but no structural deficiencies, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty said.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
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