Crews search for more victims after vehicles plunge into river

The official death count from Wednesday evening’s collapse stood at four, but Police Chief Tim Dolan said more bodies are in the water. Hospitals officials said 79 others were injured.

As many as 50 vehicles tumbled into the river when the bridge collapsed, leaving those who could escape to scramble to shore.

‘People who were pinned or partly crushed told emergency workers to say ‘hello’ or say ‘goodbye’ to their loved ones,’ Dolan said.

A strong current and low visibility hampered the search, and divers were pulled out of the water briefly Thursday afternoon so the water could be lowered, said Inspector Jeff Storms of the sheriff’s department.

Twelve vehicles had been located in the river, officials said.

‘We have a number of vehicles that are underneath big pieces of concrete, and we do know we have some people in those vehicles,’ Dolan said. ‘We know we do have more casualties at the scene.’

The eight-lane Interstate 35W bridge, a major Minneapolis artery, was in the midst of repairs when it buckled during the evening rush hour. Dozens of cars plummeted more than 60 feet into the Mississippi River, some falling on top one of another. A school bus sat on the angled concrete.

The bridge is the state’s busiest, and carries approximately 141,000 vehicles per day.

The White House said an inspection of the 40-year-old bridge in 2005 found problems. The Interstate 35W span rated 50 on a scale of 100 for structural stability and was classified as ‘structurally deficient,’ transportation officials said.

The designation means some portions of the bridge needed to be scheduled for repair or replacement. ‘It didn’t mean that the bridge is unsafe,’ Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said.

In the river, divers took down license plate numbers for authorities to track down the vehicles’ owners.