I-40 bridge disaster

{{Short description|2002 collision in Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, US}}

{{Infobox event

| title = I-40 Bridge disaster

| image = I40 Bridge disaster.jpg

| caption = The collapsed section of the Interstate 40 bridge, May 31, 2002

| time = 7:45 a.m.

| timezone = CDT

| date = {{start date|2002|5|26}}

| location = Webbers Falls, Muskogee County, Oklahoma, United States

| coordinates = {{Coord|35.4861|N|95.0991|W|region:US-OK_type:event|display=inline,title}}

| type = Accident

| cause = Towboat collision with a bridge pier, caused by captain losing consciousness

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| reported deaths = 14

| reported injuries = 11

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A bridge collapse occurred southeast of Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, United States, at 7:45 a.m. on May 26, 2002. Freight barges being transported on the Arkansas River collided with a pier supporting the Interstate 40 road bridge crossing the river. The resulting failure of the supports caused a section of the bridge to collapse, killing 14 people and injuring another 11. The collision was determined to have resulted from the captain of the barges' towboat losing consciousness.

Collision and collapse

Joe Dedmon,{{Cite web |date=May 26, 2002 |title=Towboat Captain Was Short On Sleep |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/towboat-captain-was-short-on-sleep/ |access-date=February 17, 2022 |website=CBS News |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Glenn |first=Kris |date=2002-05-22 |title=Oklahoma faces bridge tragedy |url=https://www.oudaily.com/oklahoma-faces-bridge-tragedy/article_41ca0520-8c60-598d-a514-409abfd3d164.html |access-date=2025-05-26 |website=OU Daily |language=en}} captain of the towboat Robert Y. Love, was transporting two empty barges on the Arkansas River.{{Cite news |last=Corrales |first=Robert |date=July 2002 |title=Day-by-day account... |url=http://www.hq.usace.army.mil/cepa/pubs/jul02/story2.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020810185300/http://www.hq.usace.army.mil/cepa/pubs/jul02/story2.htm |archive-date=August 10, 2002 |publisher=U.S. Army Corps of Engineers}} While traversing the Robert S. Kerr Reservoir, Dedmon experienced syncope and lost control of the tow. This caused the barges he was towing to collide with a pier of the Interstate 40 bridge crossing the reservoir. A {{convert|580|ft|m|adj=on}} section of the bridge collapsed, plunging into the water.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ntsb.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/NTSB_Determines_Cause_of_I-40_Bridge_Collapse_in_Oklahoma.aspx|title=NTSB News Release: NTSB Determines Cause of I-40 Bridge Collapse in Oklahoma|last=Office of Public Affairs|date=August 31, 2004|publisher=National Transportation Safety Board|access-date=April 19, 2018|archive-date=June 30, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170630110018/https://www.ntsb.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/NTSB_Determines_Cause_of_I-40_Bridge_Collapse_in_Oklahoma.aspx|url-status=live}} It was raining heavily at the time of the collapse, but the rain subsided soon afterward.{{Cite web|date=May 27, 2002|title=Divers find 3 victims from bridge collapse|url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/US/05/26/barge.bridge/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060620152326/http://archives.cnn.com/2002/US/05/26/barge.bridge/|archive-date=June 20, 2006|access-date=June 26, 2006|website=CNN}} By the time traffic stopped and drivers became aware of the missing road, eight passenger vehicles and three semi-trucks had fallen into the river or on collapsed bridge pieces. Fourteen people died and eleven others were injured when the cars and tractor-trailers fell from the bridge. Survivors were aided by fishermen who were participating in a bass fishing tournament in the river near the bridge.{{Cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2002/US/05/28/bridge.collapse/index.html|title=Death toll rises to 13 in bridge collapse|date=May 28, 2002|website=CNN|access-date=April 20, 2018}}

Rescue and recovery

Three people that had fallen into the river in their vehicles were able to get out and swim to shore.{{Cite news|url=http://www.muskogeephoenix.com/news/ceremony-set-to-honor-i--bridge-collapse-victims/article_374575c6-27e0-582c-b632-a3fab0b6b319.html|title=Ceremony set to honor I-40 bridge collapse victims|last=Writer|first=Burton|work=Muskogee Phoenix|access-date=April 20, 2018|language=en|archive-date=May 26, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170526025456/http://www.muskogeephoenix.com/news/ceremony-set-to-honor-i--bridge-collapse-victims/article_374575c6-27e0-582c-b632-a3fab0b6b319.html|url-status=live}} Bass fishermen participating in a tournament on the water saw the disaster occurring and attempted to aid the victims and stop the cars and trucks they witnessed driving towards the bridge failure. One fisherman along the river shot a flare at a tractor-trailer driver in an attempt to get the truck to stop.{{Cite news|url=http://www.tulsaworld.com/may-i--bridge-collapse-kills/article_07ba4d68-68a1-11e6-a2e0-eb01ff3cedc9.html|date=May 27, 2002|title=I-40 bridge collapse kills 14|work=Tulsa World|access-date=April 20, 2018|language=en|archive-date=May 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200526060610/https://www.tulsaworld.com/may-i--bridge-collapse-kills/article_07ba4d68-68a1-11e6-a2e0-eb01ff3cedc9.html|url-status=live}} Others threw ropes at people in vehicles to attempt to pull them from the water.

A two-time convicted felon named William James Clark impersonated a U.S. Army captain at the disaster scene for two days. Clark's efforts included directing FBI agents and appropriating vehicles and equipment, purportedly for the rescue effort, before fleeing the scene.{{Cite web |title=The curious cases of William James Clark |url=https://www.adn.com/features/article/curious-cases-william-james-clark/2011/08/26/ |access-date=2025-05-31 |website=Anchorage Daily News}} Clark was later apprehended in Canada{{cite web|url=http://ca10.washburnlaw.edu/cases/2004/04/03-7100.htm|title=Man convicted for bridge fraud|publisher=United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit|accessdate=August 29, 2010|archive-date=September 3, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100903160625/http://ca10.washburnlaw.edu/cases/2004/04/03-7100.htm|url-status=live}} and was later sentenced to 36 months for impersonating a federal officer and to 70 months for possessing a firearm.{{cite news |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2003/08/27/bimpersonator-sentenced-to-prisonb/62028947007/ |title=Impersonator sentenced to prison |work=The Oklahoman |date=August 27, 2003 |first=Jack |last=Maloney}}

An estimated 20,000 vehicles per day were rerouted for about two months while crews rebuilt the bridge. Traffic resumed July 29, 2002—two months after the disaster. The reopening set a new national record for such a project, which would normally be expected to take six months.{{cite web|last=Hopkins|first=Cheyenne|date=July 30, 2002|title=Traffic flows again on I-40 bridge|url=https://www.oklahoman.com/article/894007/traffic-flows-again-on-i-40-bridge?|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150415153239/http://newsok.com/article/894007|archive-date=April 15, 2015|access-date=September 6, 2021|work=The Oklahoman}}

Investigation and litigation

It was reported that the towboat Robert Y. Love had problems with steering back in 1994, although Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Natalie Magnino stated that the 1994 problem was caused by debris that had jammed the rudder and was not the result of mechanical failure or captain error.

The National Transportation Safety Board stated in 2004 that the collapse was due to Dedmon's loss of consciousness, possibly due to an unforeseeable abnormal heart rhythm. Indiana University Professor of Medicine Douglas Zipes agreed with this explanation and stated in a letter to Dedmon's attorney that it was likely that Dedmon had ventricular tachycardia, which caused him to black out.{{Cite news|url=http://newsok.com/article/1930295|title=Victims of I-40 bridge collapse reach settlement with towboat owner|date=May 22, 2003|work=NewsOK.com|access-date=April 20, 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=May 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210511225556/https://www.oklahoman.com/article/1930295/victims-of-i-40-bridge-collapse-reach-settlement-with-towboat-owner|url-status=live}} As a result of the accident the Safety Board recommended that the U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center evaluate the utility and effectiveness of alerter systems within the wheelhouse of inland towing vessels. This was in addition to warning systems for motorists to stop in the case of a partial or total bridge collapse.{{cite press release|url=https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/HAR0405.pdf|title=U.S. Towboat Robert Y. Love Allision With Interstate 40 Highway Bridge Near Webbers Falls, Oklahoma May 26, 2002|location=Washington, D.C.|publisher=National Transportation Safety Board|date=August 31, 2004|accessdate=July 30, 2021|page=63}}

In May 2003, victims of the bridge collapse settled a lawsuit with the towboat company. The Mississippi-based company Magnolia Marine Transport Co. settled with the families of the 14 who died and those injured for an undisclosed amount. This is separate from the other suits{{update inline|date=May 2025}} against the company by the state of Oklahoma and by MBO Video, whose fiber optic cables were severed by the collapse.{{cite news|last=WFMY Staff|title=Victims of Bridge Collapse Settle with Barge Company|url=https://www.wfmynews2.com/article/news/victims-of-bridge-collapse-settle-with-barge-company/83-404087427|accessdate=May 26, 2020|work=WFMY News 2|date=May 22, 2003|archive-date=May 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210511225601/https://www.wfmynews2.com/article/news/victims-of-bridge-collapse-settle-with-barge-company/83-404087427|url-status=live}}

Memorials

The town created a memorial statue in honor of the victims and the event, a {{convert|14|ft|adj=on}} tall bronze sculpture that incorporates pieces of the wreckage and is topped by a young girl reaching upwards to release a dove. The young girl represents the youngest victim, a 3-year-old girl. It was created by Shahla Rahimi-Reynolds, who was chosen by the Webbers Falls Committee to design the memorial, which also uses 14 granite plaques to memorialize each victim. The memorial was dedicated on May 26, 2003.{{Cite news|url=http://www.webbersfallsok.org/attractions/i-40-bridge-memorial/|title=Webbers Falls, Oklahoma|date=March 29, 2014|publisher=Webbers Falls, Oklahoma|access-date=April 20, 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=April 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180420074316/http://www.webbersfallsok.org/attractions/i-40-bridge-memorial/|url-status=live}} The memorial cost the state almost $150,000.{{Cite news|url=http://newsok.com/article/969469|title=Memorial set for victims of I-40 bridge collapse|date=January 5, 2003|work=NewsOK.com|access-date=April 20, 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=August 13, 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040813120311/http://www.newsok.com/article/969469/|url-status=live}}

Webbers Falls marked the 15th anniversary of the bridge collapse with a special ceremony at the Webbers Falls Historical City Park, with the monument in honor of those who were affected by the accident.

References

External links

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1zKpEdgWEc Webbers Falls 10th Anniversary], video by Oklahoma Department of Transportation
[https://web.archive.org/web/20041114161243/http://www.arkansasnews.com/archive/2004/09/01/WashingtonDCBureau/282047.html Fainting spell led to barge crash, bridge collapse, NTSB concludes]
[https://xpda.com/i40bridge/ Aerial Photo Gallery]
[https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/HAR0405.pdf I-40 bridge collision NTSB report]

Category:Bridge disasters in the United States

Category:Collisions between ships and bridges

I-40 Bridge Disaster, The

Category:Maritime incidents in 2002

Category:Transportation in Muskogee County, Oklahoma

I-40 Bridge Disaster, The

Category:Transportation in Sequoyah County, Oklahoma

Category:2002 road incidents

I-40 Bridge Disaster, The

Category:2002 disasters in the United States

Category:2002 in Oklahoma

Category:Transportation disasters in Oklahoma