At Least 7 Killed in Oklahoma Bridge Collapse

Written by Mason Anderson, Staff Writer, RedCross.org

May 28, 2002 — The American Red Cross is assisting relief crews and affected travelers after a barge collided with a bridge support on the Arkansas River Sunday (May 26) in Webber Falls, Okla., knocking out a 500-foot section of an Interstate-40 bridge and sending cars and trucks plunging into the water. Relief workers confirmed the deaths of seven people but estimated fatalities will rise to about a dozen as they resumed the gruesome task of searching for bodies on Tuesday.

Red Cross volunteers Laurie Gassaway (left) and Rev. Meri Whitaker (right) survey the damages at the scene of the collapse.

I-40 was shut down in both directions following the accident, causing severe traffic problems as the road is a major east-west artery for traffic. Cell phone service went down as rescue calls clogged airwaves, leaving many people traveling over Memorial weekend stranded on the road unable to phone loved ones.

To assist families concerned about relatives traveling on the interstate, the American Red Cross opened a Family Assistance Center Sunday morning at the Webbers Falls City Hall building.

”A lot of people couldn’t get through to their families so we were taking calls there and began a database of names to check and make sure they were all right. Now, calls are being forwarded through the Medical Examiner’s office,” said Camille Sartain, public relations specialist at the American Red Cross Tulsa Area Chapter. “Mental health counselors, nurses, and spiritual care guides were also available at the center for families stopping by and waiting to hear news.”

The collision occurred at 8:30 a.m. EDT Sunday when an empty barge, traveling north at about 5 mph on the eastern Oklahoma stretch of the Arkansas River, slammed into a support of an Interstate-40 bridge spanning the river. Nearly one-third of the 1,988-foot bridge collapsed and, according to eye witnesses, about a dozen vehicles fell into the river.

As recovery crews rushed to the scene, the Red Cross dispatched two Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) stocked with food and water.

“Two ERVs were at the east and west sides of the bridge immediately after the accident,” said Sartain. “Already, they’ve served more than 700 meals to the relief workers at the scene of the accident.”

Two ERVs were dispatched to the east and west ends of the bridge to provide food and water to recovery crews.

Four people were rescued immediately after the accident by nearby fishermen who pulled them from sinking cars and rushed them to local hospitals. Red Cross mental health workers were at the hospitals to provide emotional support to survivors and their families.

The Red Cross is helping two survivors who were released from the hospital with food, clothing and shelter. One survivor remains hospitalized.

Although the exact cause of the crash has not yet been determined, officials believe the barge captain blacked out at the helm shortly before the collision. The captain has no previous history of black-outs and tested negative for drugs and alcohol, reported MSNBC.

Recovery crews returned to the site Tuesday after storms and poor visibility hampered relief efforts Monday. Divers are scouring the river for victims while sonar is being used to detect vehicles on the river floor.