minnesota accents on cnn

[miss_swamp]

Imagine if the I-5 bridge over the ship canal just crumbled: that's basically what happened in Minneapolis this evening.

My parents and my brother were all home by the time the I-35W bridge collapsed today during rush hour. Obviously I don't know about all my friends and acquaintances, but most people I know don't take that route. Still, it's crazy and strange to see such a crisis in my own hometown. That bridge is only a couple of miles from my parents' house. Was only a couple of miles. You could see my brother's apartment from there, but for the trees. Now I'm wondering how everyone's getting home from the Twins game, and how they'll make the traffic move in the coming weeks and months. It's kind of freaky that they don't know what caused the collapse, but I'm certainly relieved it doesn't seem like terrorism.

There's a thunderstorm brewing and the divers are giving up for the night.

I finally talked to my brother. By which I mean gmail IM but whatever. Dad didn't drive home under the bridge in question because he was taking my brother home early instead. The brother then put on his skates to join the masses so he could write about it and see how he could help--he's off work tomorrow anyway. When he got home again after dark, his neighbor recruited him to go shove water bottles at rescue workers, which was a blessing and a curse for the workers: it's hot and the water was welcome, but it also added to the teeming masses. "It's as close to a war zone as I ever hope to be," he says. Also, he notes, this is the top story in the Guardian and the Times of London and he'd rather Minneapolis be internationally known for something other than this. (As would I. Also for something other than the big-ass mall.)

He promised to post a bit tonight and I hope more later. dougsdiner is a pretty good writer, if you care to read.

Comments

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

I hope all your friends and family are okay.

[pixxelpuss.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear your family (and most likely the rest of your people) are okay. You and Tim can start a Hometowns Known for Malls club.

[dougsdiner.livejournal.com]

Well, here are some preliminary thoughts and a run-down of what I did and saw yesterday. I didn't get to the part about going back out with water, but I'll write about that sometime soon. There are also several photos. And just to reiterate what it says in the caption, the kids on the school bus got out safely.

[caraeileen.livejournal.com]

I heard about this while I was at camp. One of the camp managers grew up in Minneapolis and her mother lives about 3 miles from the bridge. So scary! I hope your friends and family are okay!

...This is the exact reason I avoid the viaduct if/when at all possible.