I ran across this story about the Sunshine Skyway Bridge disaster. That is the bridge I posted the other day that carries I-275 across Tampa Bay. It was rebuilt and I cross it every time I go to visit my aunt.
On the morning of May 9th,1980 at 07:38, during a violent rain squall producing high winds and almost zero visibility the empty phosphate freighter SUMMIT VENTURE piloted by Captain John Lerro slammed into the #2 South pier (over 700 feet from the center of the channel) of the southbound (1970) span, it knocked 1261 feet of center span, cantilever, approach and roadway into Tampa Bay.
Thirty-five people, most of them on board a Greyhound bus bound for Miami plunged 150 feet to their deaths in what is now one of the worst bridge disasters in history. Rescue crews and divers were immediately dispatched to the scene, but of the victims who made the fall there was only one survivor, whose truck had luckily landed on the deck of the SUMMIT VENTURE. There was one other lucky guy – the picture is here – Richard Horbuckle – his car was on the verge of falling off, 14 inches from death, screeching to a halt just shy of plunging into the bay. He crawled up the dangling span to safety. For years after he still had to traverse across the bridge everyday to work. Think of that!
Much more about the bridge disaster here.
For years after he still had to traverse across the bridge everyday to work. Think of that!
He sold Mary Kay?
My stepmom used to drive the sunshine skyway every day going to work in Brandon. Each morning she would let her dachshund out in the back yard to do his business, then head out for her commute. On the morning the bridge came down, the dog refused to come back in for a good 15 minutes, making her late. When she got to the entry plaza for the bridge, they had stopped the traffic to keep people off the span. If the dachshund hadn’t refused to come in, she would have normally crossed the span right around the time the bridge was hit. The really interesting thing is that the dog never refused to come in before, or after. Even all these years later, it weirds us out.
Reminds me of the Tasman Bridge disaster in Hobart Tasmania Jan 5 1975.My grandmothers doctor lost his life and the disruption to commuters was horrendous.
The Tasman Bridge repair took two years and cost approximately $44 million. The bridge officially reopened on October 8/1977.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasman_Bridge
http://images.google.com.au/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=tasman+bridge+disaster&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=4Y6TSrn-Lo2KsgOKodXMDw&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=5
When I was a little girl we used to drive across this bridge (the rebuilt one) every Sunday to visit my grandfather in the hospital. You could still see the remains of the old bridge and it used to scare the crap out of me every time. Even today I have to roll my windows down when driving over a bridge in case it happens to me. Thanks for bringing up my greatest childhood fear!
Probably something completely lost in news coverage by the eruption of St. Helens 9 days later. Sad story.
I was a Sergeant (E-4) in the Air Force at Macdill AFB when the disaster occurred. I remember that we had a radio on at work when the they interrupted the music they were playing to give the first reports on it.
Remember also driving out to the site about a week later to look at the wreckage with bumper to bumper traffic both ways to cross the one remaining span.
I remember crossing this brigde with my parents as a child. Even before the crash, it used to scare the crap out of me, because it was a steel grate bridge deck that you could see straight through to the water. I remember seeing the wrecked bridge a few days after the disaster. It was as if I couldnt breathe….
My great uncle retired from greyhound. He would have ben driving the bus on that route from St.Pete to miami. and would have been on the brige at that time. But, He was given a later trip that day. I do believe he knew the driver of that bus . May all the deceased rest in peace
I grew up in Sarasota. My parents would go a few times to some estate jeweler in St. Pete. I think it was Gerrard’s. I remember going to St. Pete when there was only 1 bridge, scary as can be in a Pinto! One time, on returning to Sarasota after dark, some maniac going up to the center of the bridge (when it was 1 lane) was passing people! You could see his headlights, going upward, swerving in and out. My parents and my sister and myself all thought he was nuts.
The fall after the accident I am going to my first concert. I am 17 and my parents let me drive and go with 3 of my friends. We go in my ’71 yellow Fiat station wagon. It was a yellow one of these with a black racing strip low on the sides that said Fiat.
So we are talking 4 cylinder, carb, 4 people. So no real get up and go. We get to the top, there is the large piece hanging from the accident, my knuckles are white and my 3 friends open the door! I told them that they do that on the way back I am stopping and letting them out.
I think this and later traveling on the old bridge in Charleston has given me a phobia of tall bridges. I actually have to calm myself down from having a panic attack. As bad as this bridge was, as a kid, the old one, build in 1929 , in Charleston was much worse. I was stuck on that on, going up, in another crap car, a 87 Hyundai Excel during a lightning storm where it was hitting all over the bridge. That bridge had old, corroded side rails that probably wouldn’t stop a bike, much less a car. Here is a photo of that scary bridge, The Grace Memorial, its the lower one, the other one is much newer built 30 years later. They used to have 2 way traffic on that skinny booger. Look and see if you see any guard rails! An MD I know from there said he would hide on the floorboard when his family went over that bridge.