List of bridge failures

MilvianBridge

Rome

Rome

28 October 312

Wooden pontoon bridge replacing permanent stone bridge

Use by retreating Maxentian troops during the Battle of the Milvian Bridge

Unknown

Bridge unusable

LondonBridge

London

England

17 October 1091

Wooden bridge

London tornado of 1091

Unknown

Bridge unusable

Sint Servaasbrug

Maastricht

Holy Roman Empire

1275

Wooden bridge

Collapsed from the weight of a large procession

400

Bridge unusable

Judith bridge

Prague

Kingdom of Bohemia

2 February 1342

Stone bridge

Severe flood

Unknown

Two-thirds of the 170 years old bridge collapsed or heavily damaged. One arch survived to this day. Charles Bridge was built next to its remains. Construction started in 1357 and ended in 1402.

Surviving arch of Judith bridge

RialtoBridge

Venice

Venetian Republic

1444

Wooden structure with central drawbridge.

Overload by spectators during a wedding

Unknown

Bridge total damage

Eitai Bridge (Eitai-bashi)

Tokyo (Edo)

Japan

20 September 1807 (Lunisolar 19 August)

Wooden beam bridge over River Sumida

Overloaded by festival

500–2000 killed

1 pier and 2 spans destroyed

Edo-Tokyo Museum

Ponte das Barcas

Porto

Portugal

29 March 1809

Wooden pontoon bridge over River Douro

Bridge overloaded by thousands of people fleeing a bayonet charge of French Imperial Army led by Marshal Soult during the First Battle of Porto

4000 killed

Several spans destroyed. Bridge reconstructed, dismantled in 1843

Saalebrücke bei Mönchen-Nienburg

Nienburg, Saxony-Anhalt

Germany

6 December 1825

Chain-stayed bridge with small bascule section

Poor materials, unbalanced load and vibrations by subjects singing to honour the duke

55 drowned or frozen to death

Bridge half damaged, other side demolished

Broughton Suspension Bridge

Broughton, Greater Manchester

England

12 April 1831

Suspension bridge over River Irwell

Bolt snapped due to mechanical resonance caused by marching soldiers

0 dead, 20 injured

Collapsed at one end, bridge quickly rebuilt and strengthened

The rebuilt Broughton Suspension Bridge in 1883. This disaster caused the "break step" rule issued to UK soldiers.

Yarmouth suspension bridge

Great Yarmouth

England

2 May 1845

Suspension bridge

Spectators crowded the bridge over the River Bure to view a clown travel the river in a barrel. Their position shifted as the barrel passed; the suspension chains snapped and the bridge deck tipped over.

79 people drowned, mainly children.

Suspension chains snapped due to overload.

Contemporary illustration of the aftermath of the collapse

Dee Bridge

Chester

England

24 May 1847

Cast iron beam bridge over the River Dee

Overload by passenger train on faulty structure

5 killed

Bridge rendered unusable

The Dee bridge after its collapse. The failure was due to faulty design.

Ness Bridge

Inverness

Scotland

1849

Stone Bridge over River Ness

Flooding overwhelmed the 164-year-old bridge

Unknown

Either completely destroyed or damaged beyond repair

Rebuilt as a suspension bridge, which itself was replaced in 1961 due to inability to handle increased traffic.

Angers Bridge

Angers

France

16 April 1850

Suspension bridge over Maine River

Wind and possibly resonance of soldiers led to collapse

226 killed, unknown injured

Bridge total damage

The Angers Bridge after its collapse

Wheeling Suspension Bridge

Wheeling, West Virginia (then Virginia)

United States

17 May 1854

Suspension bridge carrying the National Road over the Ohio River

Torsional movement and vertical undulations caused by wind

No casualties

Deck destroyed; towers left intact and remain in use today

Gasconade Bridge

Gasconade, Missouri

United States

1 November 1855

Wooden rail bridge

Inaugural train run conducted before temporary trestle work was replaced by permanent structure

31 killed, hundreds injured

Span from anchorage to first pier destroyed

Desjardins Canal Bridge

Dundas, Ontario

Canada

12 March 1857

Rail bridge

Mechanical force due to broken locomotive front axle. Desjardins Canal disaster ensued.

59 killed

Sauquoit Creek Bridge

Whitesboro, New York

United States

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

27 June 1859

Railroad embankment bridge

Washout

41 killed (some accounts of 60 to 70)

Known as the Great Mishawaka Train Wreck or the South Bend train wreck

Bull Bridge

Ambergate

England

26 September 1860

Cast iron rail bridge

Cast iron beam cracked and failed under weight of freight train

0 killed 0 injured

Total collapse of bridge

Section of broken girder

Wootton Bridge

Wootton

England

11 June 1861

Cast iron rail bridge

Cast iron beams cracked and failed

2 killed

Total damage to floor

Wootton Bridge crash, caused by a flawed design & unreliable cast iron, failed from a repair

Platte Bridge

St. Joseph, Missouri

United States

3 September 1861

Sabotage by Confederate partisans during US Civil War.

17–20 killed, 100 injured

Chunky Creek Bridge

near Hickory, Mississippi

United States

1863

Winter flood caused a debris build-up which shifted the bridge trestle.

Train bridge

Wood River Junction, RI

United States

19 April 1873

Washaway

7 killed, 20 injured

Railroad Disaster at Meadow Brook, Rhode Island

Dixon Bridge (aka Truesdell Bridge)

Dixon, Illinois

United States

4 May 1873

Iron vehicular bridge (for pedestrians and carriages) over the Rock River

Large crowd assembled on one side to view baptism ceremony; bridge design flaw

46 killed 56 injured

Bridge was a total loss

The collapse of the Dixon (Ill.) Truesdell Bridge, May 4, 1873.

Portage Bridge

Portageville, New York

United States

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

Ashtabula River Railroad Bridge

Ashtabula, Ohio

United States

29 December 1876

Wrought iron truss bridge

Possible fatigue failure of cast iron elements

92 killed, 64 injured

Bridge total damage

Ashtabula bridge disaster

Tay Rail Bridge

Dundee

Scotland

28 December 1879

Continuous girder bridge, wrought iron framework on cast iron columns, railway bridge

Faulty design, construction and maintenance, structural deterioration and wind load

75 killed (60 known dead), no survivors

Bridge unusable, girders partly reused, train damaged

Fallen Tay Bridge. Locomotive was saved from the Tay and was still in use 19 years later; known as "The Diver".

Honey Creek Rail Trestle

Boone County, Iowa

United States

6 July 1881

Railroad trestle

Flash flood washed out timbers supporting trestle

2 killed (one body never recovered)

Bridge rebuilt

Kate Shelley, who lived nearby, was able to warn the railroad to stop an oncoming passenger train.

Inverythan Rail Bridge

Aberdeenshire

Scotland

27 November 1882

Cast iron girder rail bridge

Hidden defects in cast iron caused collapse as train passed

5 killed, 17 injured

Bridge rebuilt

Crash scene after the accident. The Board of Trade issued warning about similar under-bridges.

Little Silver

New Jersey

United States

30 June 1882

Trestle railway bridge

Train derailment due to insecure railroad switch on the northbound side of the bridge.

3 killed, 65+ injured

Estimated $15,000 worth of damage to the bridge and cars combined. Bridge was repaired.

Several rail cars derailed and fell off the bridge into Parker's Creek. Ulysses S. Grant was a passenger.

Osijek railway bridge

Osijek

Hungary / Croatia border

23 September 1882

Railway bridge

Bridge collapsed into the flooding Drava river under the weight of a train

28

Washout by floodCollapsed wooden bridge later replaced by iron bridge.

Camberwell Bridge

London

England

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

14 March 1887

Iron railroad bridge collapses under train

Poor design and maintenance

23 killed, 100+ injured

Bridge rebuilt

A drawing of the collapsed bridge.

Big Four Bridge

Louisville, Kentucky

United States

10 October 1888

Caisson and truss

12 died when caisson flooded, 4 died when beam broke, 21 died when truss fell into river

Conemaugh Viaduct

Upriver from Johnstown, Pennsylvania

United States

31 May 1889

Stone,78-foot (24 m) high railroad bridge

Washed away by the Johnstown Flood

0

total loss

Main article: Johnstown Flood

Norwood Junction Rail Bridge

London

England

1 May 1891

Cast iron girder fails under passing train

Hidden defects in cast iron caused collapse

0 killed, 1 injured

Bridge rebuilt

Münchenstein Rail Bridge

Münchenstein

Switzerland

14 June 1891

Wrought iron truss

Train falls through centre of bridge

71 killed, 171 injured

The railway bridge collapsed under a heavy train loaded with more than 500 passengers; more than 70 were killed.

Chester rail bridge

Chester, Massachusetts

United States

31 August 1893

Lattice truss bridge

Removed rivets caused bridge to collapse under the weight of a train

14 killed

Point Ellice Bridge

Victoria, British Columbia

Canada

26 May 1896

Overloaded tram car collapses central span

47/53/50–60 killed (reports vary)

Maddur railway bridge collapse

Maddur

India

2 October 1897

River in flood

150 drowned

AA

Dry Creek Bridge

Eden, Colorado

United States

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

20 January 1905

Stone suspension bridge

Disputed

0 killed, 0 injured

Bridge rebuilt

The collapsed bridge

Portage Canal Swing Bridge

Houghton, Michigan

United States

15 April 1905

Steel swing bridge

Swing span struck by the steamer Northern Wave.

0 killed, 0 injured

Swing span rebuilt.

The damaged bridge. It was replaced by the Portage Lake Lift Bridge.

Cimarron River Rail Crossing

Dover, Oklahoma Territory

United States

18 September 1906

Wooden railroad trestle

Washed out under pressure from debris during high water

4-100+ killed

Entire span lost; rebuilt

Bridge was to be temporary, but replacement was delayed for financial reasons. Number of deaths is uncertain; estimates range from 4 to over 100.

Quebec Bridge

Quebec City

Canada

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 (see below)

Romanov Bridge

now Zelenodolsk, Republic of Tatarstan

Russian Empire

22 November 1911

Railway bridge across the Volga River

Collapsed during construction: ice slip undermined scaffolding

13 confirmed killed, ~200 missing

Scaffold with workers fell on the ice, causing many to drown

Bridge was completed later. "Romanovsky" rail bridge, renamed Red Bridge after the revolution, designed by Nikolai Belelubsky was built in 1913.

Baddengorm Burn

Carrbridge, Highlands

Scotland

18 June 1914

Collapsed underneath train due to heavy rainfall and debris build-up from a road bridge wiped out further upstream

5 drowned, unknown injured

Complete loss, one railway carriage destroyed

Rebuilt with a longer, concrete span.

Division Street Bridge

Spokane, Washington

United States

18 December 1915

Steel framework, trolley car bridge

Collapsed a week after being resurfaced; poor steel, metal fatigue, and a previous impact by another bridge swept downstream during a flood

5–7 killed, 10 injured

Complete loss, plus two trolley cars destroyed

Replaced by a 3-vault concrete span

Quebec Bridge

Quebec City

Canada

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 after almost two decades of construction.

Grand Avenue Bridge

Neillsville, Wisconsin

United States

2 August 1920

Steel overhead truss bridge, vehicular traffic

Believed to have been weakened by heavy trucks hauling shale crossing the bridge in prior months

1 killed, 0 injured

Bridge completely destroyed.

Replaced by concrete bridge the following year.

Greenfield Bridge

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

United States

18 June 1921

Wooden road bridge

Collapsed

0 killed, 0 injured

Bridge completely destroyed

Bridge had been closed to vehicular traffic due to structural weakness but was still used by pedestrians. Replaced with a new bridge in 1923.

Bridge

Jalón

Spain

22 November 1927

Bridge failed during passage of funeral procession

100 thrown into water

Kärevere Bridge

Kärevere

Estonia

14 December 1928

48 m triple span beam bridge with reinforced concrete deck, motorway bridge over the Suur-Emajõgi river

Newly built bridge failed two days after commission accepted it (before opening for traffic), because of too small share of cement in concrete and some serious design flaws

No casualties.

Bridge completely destroyed.

Fremantle Railway Bridge

Fremantle, Western Australia

Australia

22 July 1926

Flood

0 killed, 0 injured

Load testing in 1926 on the repaired section of the bridge. Proposed replacement by combined road and railway bridge.[needs update]

Seta River Bridge

Otsu

Japan

21 September 1934

Typhoon

11 killed, 216 injured

An express train derailed by the Muroto Typhoon on the Seta River Bridge, September 1934

Appomattox River Drawbridge

Hopewell, Virginia

United States

22 December 1935

Bus drove across the drawbridge when it was open.

14 killed

Falling Creek Bridge

Chesterfield County, Virginia

United States

1 September 1936

Wood and steel.

Two trucks were crossing the bridge when one struck a tie rod causing the bridge to collapse. One truck fell 15 feet to the creek bed, and the other escaped to safety.

4 killed, 5 injured

Kasai River Bridge

Kasaï

Belgian Congo

12 September 1937

Railway bridge

While under construction.

Began in 1935; construction never resumed.

Honeymoon Bridge (Upper Steel Arch Bridge)

Niagara Falls, New York – Niagara Falls, Ontario

United States – Canada

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

31 August 1939

Concrete arch bridge

Collapsed during construction

18 killed

Complete loss of the main span

Received minimal media attention as WWII began the next day. The bridge was finished in 1943 as the longest concrete arch bridge in the world until 1964.

Tacoma Narrows Bridge

Tacoma, Washington

United States

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 persons killed. 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. Most major new bridges are now modelled in wind tunnels. Rebuilt in 1950; parallel span opened in 2007.

Theodor Heuss Bridge

Ludwigshafen

Germany

12 December 1940

Bridge of concrete, Motorway bridge

Collapsed during construction

Unknown

Bridge completely destroyed

Resulted in delay in completion of the motorway crossing of the Rhine until 1953

Chesapeake City Bridge

Chesapeake City, Maryland

United States

28 July 1942

Road bridge, vertical lift drawbridge

Tanker Franz Klasen rammed the movable bridge supports, causing collapse

Unknown

Central span completely destroyed

Bridge replaced by high-level tied-arch bridge in 1949

Deutz Suspension Bridge

Cologne

Germany

28 February 1945

Suspension road bridge

collapsed during repair work

unknown count of people killed

Total destruction

Ludendorff Bridge

Remagen

Germany

17 March 1945

Truss railroad and pedestrian bridge

Collapse due to previous battle damage incurred 7 March 1945

28 killed, 93 injured

Total destruction

Ludendorff Bridge on March 17, 1945, after the collapse

John P. Grace Memorial Bridge

Charleston, South Carolina

United States

24 February 1946

Steel cantilever truss automobile bridge

Three spans collapsed due to collision by 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 Jr. Bridge

Inotani Wire Bridge

Toyama

Japan

22 September 1949

29 killed

Around 150 professors and educators from schools in the prefecture were in the area for a geological survey when a bolt bent and the suspension bridge collapsed, sending 33 people down into the Jinzu River. 29 people were killed or went missing and 4 people were injured.

Duplessis Bridge

Trois-Rivières–Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec

Canada

31 January 1951

Steel bridge

Structural failure due to adverse temperature

4 killed

Total destruction

Reconstructed

Bury Knowsley Street Station Footbridge

Bury

England

19 January 1952

Wooden footbridge with wrought iron frame and supports

Supports failed due to inadequate maintenance

2 killed, 173 injured

Bridge replaced

Bridge since demolished, due to closure of station

Harrow & Wealdstone Station Footbridge

Wealdstone

England

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

Whangaehu River Rail Bridge

Tangiwai

New Zealand

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

St. Johns Station Rail Bridge

Lewisham, South London

England

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

Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing

Vancouver, British Columbia

Canada

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

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

The remains of the bridge in 1966

I-29 Big Sioux River Bridge

Sioux City, Iowa

United States

1 April 1962

Plate Girder

Northbound road deck collapsed into Big Sioux River as a result of heavy flooding

Rebuilt and in current use

King Street Bridge

Melbourne, Victoria

Australia

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

Beaver Dam Bridge

approximately 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) southeast of Whitehouse, Quebec

Canada

22 May 1963

Flood damage

6 killed

Several vehicles fell into the York river

General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge

Maracaibo

Venezuela

6 April 1964

Road bridge

Ship collision

7 killed

2 section collapsed

Currently in operation

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway

Metairie, Louisiana

United States

16 June 1964

Ship collision

6 killed

Single span collapse

Pamban Bridge

Mandapam, Tamil Nadu

India

23 December 1964

Rail Bridge

1964 Rameswaram Cyclone

Train washed away killing 150 people.

Multiple span collapsed.

Currently New Bridge under construction.

Kansas Avenue Bridge

Topeka, Kansas

United States

2 July 1965

Kansas Avenue Melan Bridge for traffic between downtown and North Topeka

Structural deterioration

1 killed

Single span collapse

Suddenly collapsed about 5:30 p.m. on 2 July 1965, killing a Topeka man.

Long Shoal Bridge

Benton County, Missouri

United States

21 September 1965

Swinging suspension road bridge

Faulty design and overload

3 killed

Total collapse

Collapsed after a 10-ton truck crossed the bridge, which had a 5-ton limit. Old bridge remains at bottom of river.

Heron Road Bridge

Ottawa

Canada

10 August 1966

Concrete road bridge

Collapsed during construction due to use of green lumber and the lack of diagonal bracing on the wooden support forms for concrete pour.

9 killed

Rebuilt.

Boudewijnsnelweg Bridge

Viersel

Belgium

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

1966

Road bridge

Ship collision

0 killed

Bridge rebuilt

Huasco Bridge

Vallenar

Chile

9 May 1967

Road bridge

Unclear

8 killed, 10 injured

Bridge collapsed during initial construction. Construction restarted in 1972; bridge opened in 1977.

Silver Bridge

Point Pleasant, West Virginia and Gallipolis, Ohio

United States

15 December 1967

Road bridge, chain link suspension

Stress corrosion cracking; nonredundant eyebar design

46 killed, 9 injured

Bridge and 37 vehicles destroyed. Replaced by Silver Memorial Bridge downstream. Memorial for bridge located on 6th and Main Streets and off the trail along the shoreline in Point Pleasant.

The collapsed Silver Bridge, as seen from the Ohio side. It inspired the book Mothman Prophecies and The Mothman Prophecies (film).

Queen Juliana Bridge

Willemstad, Curaçao

Netherlands Antilles

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

Countess Wear Bridge

Exeter, Devon

England

6 January 1968

Brick Arch bridge

Construction support fault. Scour under raft foundation

Pier 23 collapsed

Bridge repaired and reinforced

Britannia Bridge

Menai Strait

Wales

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, Victoria

Australia

15 October 1970

Road bridge

Collapsed during construction due to poor design and ill-advised construction methods

35 killed

112-metre (367 ft) span between piers 10 and 11 collapsed

Cantilevered section under construction sprang back and collapsed following attempts to remove a buckle caused by a difference in camber of 11 cm (4.5 inches) between it and the other section of the span to which it was to be joined

Cleddau Bridge

Pembroke Dock and Neyland

Wales

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

10 November 1971

Road bridge

Bridge bent into Rhine

13 killed, unknown injured

Bridge completely destroyed

Charles III Bridge

Molins de Rei

Spain

6 December 1971

Stone road bridge

Flood damage

1 killed

2 arches collapsed, a lorry fell into the Llobregat

Prior to the accident, dredging of the riverbed to mine sand had weakened pier foundations. The bridge was finally blown up and a new one built in its place.

Fiskebækbroen

Farum

Denmark

8 February 1972

Two separate highway bridges of the E45 highway

Western bridge collapsed during construction as the concrete for the foundation was not adequately compressed

None injured

Bridge rebuilt

The involved construction company C.T. Winkel, subsequently went bankrupt.[citation needed]

1972 Sidney Lanier Bridge collapse

Brunswick, Georgia

United States

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

Bulls Bridge

Bulls

New Zealand

15 June 1973

Flood damage

1 injured

3 spans collapsed

A Bailey Bridge was in place over the gap within 6 weeks and a full replacement of the three spans was opened in December 1973.

West Side Elevated Highway

New York City

United States

15 December 1973

Poor maintenance and overloading

No casualties

Single span collapse, which caused the closure and eventual demolition of most of the highway.

Collapsed span of the elevated highway

Welland Canal Bridge No. 12

Port Robinson, Ontario

Canada

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. Port Robinson Ferry is a passenger service that crosses from the site of the former bridge from July to October (weather permitting).

Makahali River bridge

Baitadi

Nepal

November 1974

140 killed

Tasman Bridge

Hobart, Tasmania

Australia

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. The Bowen Bridge was later constructed, 10 km (6 mi) to the north, to reduce the impact of any future failure of the Tasman Bridge.

Reichsbrücke

Vienna

Austria

1 August 1976

Road bridge with tram

Column fractured

1 killed, 0 injured

Bridge, one bus and a lorry destroyed, ships damaged

Sightseers after the collapse in 1976. Concrete of the column had never been examined, was internally totally destroyed; "higher force"

Granville Railway Bridge

Sydney, New South Wales

Australia

18 January 1977

Vehicle overpass

Passenger train derailed while passing under the Bold Street road overpass and collided with a supporting pier. Section of bridge collapsed onto train cars.

83 (including an unborn child) killed, 210 injured

Bridge destroyed, later replaced

The bridge was supported by two piers situated between the various rail tracks. Part of the derailed train virtually demolished the northern pier, resulting in the collapse of the northernmost span of the bridge. It was replaced by a single-span bridge.

Benjamin Harrison Memorial Bridge

Hopewell, Virginia

United States

24 February 1977

Lift bridge

An ocean-going tanker ship, the 5,700 ton, 523-ft long 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

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

Floating bridge over Beloslav Canal (connecting Lake Beloslav and Lake Varna)

Beloslav, Varna Province

Bulgaria

7 November 1978

Floating bridge

Overload by spectators

65 killed

Bridge completely destroyed

Hood Canal Floating Bridge (William A. Bugge Bridge)

North End of Hood Canal, Washington

United States

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

18 January 1980

Steel arch bridge

Ship collision during bad visibility (mist)

8 killed, unknown injured

Bridge and several cars destroyed

The collapsed bridge and MS Star Clipper

Sunshine Skyway Bridge

near St. Petersburg, Florida

United States

9 May 1980

Steel cantilever bridge

The freighter Summit Venture struck the bridge during a storm, causing the center section of the southbound span to collapse into Tampa Bay

35 killed, 1 injured

1,200 feet (370 m) of southbound span, several cars and a bus destroyed

A vehicle stopped just short of the collapsed portion of the bridge. The old bridge has since been turned into a state-run fishing pier and was replaced for traffic with cable-stayed bridge.

Tompkins Hill Road overpass

Humboldt County, California

United States

8 November 1980

Reinforced concrete spans on concrete support columns

Earthquake caused two spans to slip off supporting columns

0 killed, 6 injured

Two vehicles drove into the opening left by collapsed span

Steel cables added to anchor replacement spans to support columns

Hyatt Regency walkway collapse

Kansas City, Missouri

United States

17 July 1981

Double-deck suspended footbridge in hotel interior

Erroneous redesign of supporting member during construction when original design considered too hard to construct

114 killed, 200 injured

Walkway destroyed

View of the lobby floor, showing remains of the pedestrian bridge

Cline Avenue over the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal and surrounding heavy industry

East Chicago, Indiana

United States

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

Puente de Brenes

Brenes, Sevilla

Spain

12 Aug 1982

Carretera Brenes-Villaverde del Rio

Structural failure due to inadequate design

No casualties

The bridge collapsed during the night

Ulyanovsk railway bridge

Ulyanovsk

USSR

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

28 June 1983

Interstate 95 (Connecticut Turnpike) over the Mianus River

Metal corrosion and fatigue/Deferred maintenance

3 killed, 3 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.

Puente Colgante de Santa Fe

Santa Fe

Argentina

28 September 1983

Suspension Bridge

Flooding

0 killed, 0 injured

Total collapse

Almost total collapse of the bridge due to historical flooding. It was reconstructed equal to its original design of 1928 in the year 2002.

Cuscatlán Bridge

San Ildefonso

El Salvador

1 January 1984

Suspension bridge

Bombing

Several killed

Total collapse

The bridge was bombed by the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front during the Salvadoran Civil War. A new bridge was built just south of the Cuscatlán Bridge in 1998.

U.S. Highway 36, the Boulder Turnpike, near MP 12.5

Westminster, Colorado

United States

2 August 1985

Concrete bed with steel girders on concrete support posts

Head-on Train Collision

5 killed

Northbound span collapsed in accident; southbound span collapsed during cleanup efforts. Within days, crews built a temporary road around the scene of the accident and erected a stoplight at the tracks, and the bridge was eventually rebuilt.

1986 train collision wreckage and U.S.36 bridge collapse near Westminster, Colorado, USA. According to a National Transportation Safety Board report, two Burlington Northern trains collided head-on beneath a U.S. 36 overpass in Westminster, Colorado. The bridge was destroyed by derailed cars which struck structural support members, and by fire which erupted following the collision.

Stebbins Rd. Bridge (NY State Rt 90, not to be confused with Interstate 90)

Hanover, NY

United States

15 November 1986

One lane steel bridge

Likely overloaded

1 killed, 3 injured

Total loss

Collapse likely due to overloading. The bridge, with a posted 8-ton limit, was crossed by a construction crane.

Amarube railroad bridge

Kasumi, Hyōgo

Japan

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

5 April 1987

I-90 New York Thruway over the Schoharie Creek

Improper protection of footings by contractor led to scour of riverbed under footings.

10 killed, unknown injured

Total collapse

Schoharie Creek's Mill Point Bridge

Wellsville, Amsterdam, New York

United States

11 April 1987

NY 161 over the Schoharie Creek

Flooding

0 killed, 0 injured

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.

Glanrhyd Bridge

Carmarthen

Wales

19 October 1987

River Tywi

Train washed off railway bridge by flood waters

4 killed

Sultan Abdul Halim ferry terminal bridge

Butterworth, Penang

Malaysia

31 July 1988

More than 32 killed.

Ness Viaduct

Inverness

Scotland

7 February 1989

Railway bridge carrying the Far North Line over the River Ness

Bridge foundations overwhelmed by floodwaters due to low tide in Beauly Firth causing waterfall effect

0 killed, 0 injured

Near total collapse, remains demolished and rebuilt in 1990

Bridge confirmed to be structurally sound in 1987 and 1988 checks

Tennessee Hatchie River Bridge

Between Covington, Tennessee and Henning, Tennessee

United States

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

Cypress Street Viaduct

Oakland, California

United States

17 October 1989

I-880 (Nimitz Freeway)

Destroyed in Loma Prieta earthquake

42 killed

Structure destroyed, remains demolished and removed. The ground-level Cypress Street is now Mandela Parkway.

The collapsed Cypress Street Viaduct seen from ground-level. Note detachment of upper vertical elements from lower and the lack of reinforcement at the point of detachment. Replacement route for I-880 built around West Oakland.

San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge

connects San Francisco and Oakland, California

United States

17 October 1989

I-80

50-foot (15 m) section of the upper deck and lower deck collapsed in Loma Prieta earthquake

1 killed

Collapsed section of roadway deck Reopened on 18 November of that year. Replaced with a self-anchored suspension bridge and approach spans in 2013.

Swinging Bridge

Heber Springs, Arkansas

United States

28 October 1989

Pedestrian suspension bridge over the Little Red River; 1912 erected but 1972 closed for cars; 1985 placed in National Register of Historic Places

Destroyed by pedestrians swinging the bridge

at least 5 killed

Structure collapsed

Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge

Connects Seattle and Mercer Island, Washington

United States

25 November 1990

I-90

Heavy flooding of pontoons

0 killed 0 injured

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

1991

Metro railway

While in construction, 43-ton steel fell to the road below.

15 killed (5 workers and 10 civilians), 8 injured

Santa Monica Freeway at La Cienega Boulevard

Mid City, Los Angeles

United States

17 Jan 1994

1994 Northridge Earthquake

Newhall Pass Interchange

Newhall, Santa Clarita, California

United States

17 Jan 1994

1994 Northridge Earthquake

1 killed

Rebuilt interchange named Clarence Wayne Dean Memorial Interchange in honor of the police officer who died falling off the collapsed bridge

Claiborne Avenue Bridge

9th Ward, New Orleans, Louisiana

United States

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

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

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

Temporary bridge

Hopkinton, New Hampshire

United States

24 November 1993

Single-lane temporary bridge in construction zone

Collapsed while being dismantled

2 construction workers killed, 1 injured

Collapsed onto roadway below

Bridge had been placed to divert traffic from resurfacing project on U.S. Route 202

Seongsu Bridge disaster

Seoul

South Korea

21 October 1994

Cantilever bridge crossing Han River

Structural failure due to 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.

Kobe Route of the Hanshin Expressway

Kobe, Japan

Japan

17 January 1995

Elevated highway

Earthquake - support piers failed

0 killed. 0 injured

Section collapsed on the Hanshin Expressway.

Overpass collapsed following the 6.9 Mw  Great Hanshin earthquake.

I-5 Bridge Disaster

Coalinga, California

United States

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.

Elhovo bridge over the Tundzha river

Elhovo, Yambol Province

Bulgaria

6 January 1996

Suspension bridge

Over 100 spectators crowded on one side of the bridge to observe the throwing of the cross (an Epiphany tradition) into the river when one of the suspension chains snapped and dozens fell into the icy river.

9 killed

Suspension chain snapped due to overload.

Walnut Street Bridge

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

United States

January 1996

Truss bridge

As a result of rising flood waters and ice floes from the North American blizzard of 1996, when high floodwaters and a large ice floe lifted the spans off their foundations and swept them down the river.

0 killed, 0 injured

Lost two of its seven western spans, A third span was damaged and later collapsed into the river.

Western span of the Walnut Street Bridge after it collapsed during the 1996 flood. The eastern span is still in use for pedestrian traffic.

Koror-Babeldaob Bridge

Koror and Babeldaob

Palau

26 September 1996

Collapse following strengthening work

2 killed, 4 injured

Maccabiah bridge collapse

Tel Aviv/Ramat Gan border

Israel

14 July 1997

Athletes pedestrian bridge

Poor design and construction

4 killed (2 killed in collapse, 2 others indirectly), 60 injured

During opening of the 15th Maccabiah Games, a temporary bridge over the polluted 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

3 June 1998

Road bridge

Train disaster

101 killed, 105 injured

After derailing due to metal fatigue in one of its metal tyres, the Hanover-bound InterCityExpress high speed train collided with a road bridge, causing it to collapse onto part of the train. 99 people on board the train, as well as two engineers who were working near the track at the time of the accident, were killed.

Injaka Bridge Collapse

Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga

South Africa

6 July 1998

300m 7-span continuous pre-stressed concrete road bridge over the Injaka Dam under construction.

Design faults and negligence.

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.

Qijiang Caihong Pedestrian Bridge Collapse

Qijiang, Chongqing

China

4 Jan 1999

Arch Bridge

low quality, 140m arch totally collapsed

40 killed (18 soldiers), 14 injured

totally collapsed Quality control faults and ignore maintenance.重庆綦江彩虹桥垮塌事故

Collapsed in 3 years after finished in 1996. Victims include design, construct, consulting engineers. Rebuilt nearby completed in 2000.

Maiden Choice Footbridge

Arbutus, Baltimore County, Maryland

United States

8 June 1999

Pre-stressed concrete pedestrian footbridge

Collision with overheight road vehicle.

1 killed, 6 injured

The entire footbridge, the surviving span and the fallen span, were demolished overnight and removed by the next morning.

Collapsed after being struck by an over-height and improperly secured load on a flatbed tractor-trailer. The entire structure - which was built in 1957 - had been closed for two years.[needs update]