9/15/04 NOW: Hurricane Ivan [Gulf Coast]

[Ben Pinette]

Or he had "no" warning at all. To me it doesn't look like he drove into it. Looks like he got caught in a sudden onslaught of waves that eventually destroyed the bridge. That is the only explanation to why the whole front half of the trailer, and the cab are just gone.

You can't just exactly back up a semi in a timely manner. It looks like he didn't stand a chance. His only chance was to not put himself in the position of being on that road at that time. Fatal mistake.

I would also be wondering who might be unaccounted for at the moment. By looking at the close up of the scene, it would be very easy for other vehicles to have been destroyed and blown into the water without a trace. Rescue personell can't find that big cab, so I imagine it would be much more difficult to find the remnants of a car.

 

[MClarkson]

ya i was thinking the same thing about other vehicles.

whether he drove into the gap later or was there when the span failed, ive been thinking about that. I would think that the trucks position on the very edge of the break makes it somewhat likely that he drove into it. Also, on the foxnews image skidmarks might be present. Hard to tell. Pretty faint but definetly something that appears to be double skidmarks on the left side of the truck. Howevever its definetly possible that he was swamped there as the bridge failed that night.

...it seems particularly stupid to drive across such a bridge at night durring the full onslaught of hurricane force winds and near 0 visibilty.

http://www.foxnews.com/photo_essay/photoes...91604_ivan6.jpg

 

[Tim Vasquez]

You would think they would have some good metal detectors, or at least could locate it on a fishfinder... the water can't possibly be that deep. A truck cab would make a pretty large target I would think.

 

[MClarkson]

think of all the twisted I beems sunk at the same spot... not to mention the current... taking all that water in and out. it took out thousands of tons of steel and concrete, a couple ton cab is nothing.

 

[Jeff Wear]

CNN is reporting that the drivers body has been pulled from the water....

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WEATHER/09/17/hurr...ivan/index.html

 

[Mike Johnson]

I wonder why the I-10 bridge was not closed?

I heard on TV most bridges were closed
when winds reached 45 miles per hour.

It's hard to believe the truck was not blown off the
bridge before it reached that point. The driver had to
be experiencing severe winds and rocking all along
I-10, with waves crashing over the bridge?

With all due respect for this tragic event... Darwin Award?

I'll bet the bridges close sooner next time... something for
chasers to ponder.

Mike

 

[Dan Robinson]

Police set up vehicle roadblocks at the bridges until it isn't safe for them to be outside. Once conditions deteriorate enough, they head for shelter. At that point, most 'blocked' bridges and roads are left open for anyone to cross at will (and at their own risk) during the height of the storm. I'm assuming they don't put up physical barriers (jersey barriers, etc) because it might prevent a last-minute evacuation or cause problems for rescuers after the storm has passed. If the trucker tried to cross during the height of the storm, there would have been no thing or person there to stop him, police would have been taking shelter at that time.

 

[MClarkson]

I40 has been washed out by flooding in the mountainous region of western north carolina.

http://www.volunteertv.com/Global/story.as...24&nav=4QcHR2FM

I10 and I40 from the same storm... wow