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Disasters

Train derails in southeastern Minnesota

La Crescent Fire Department officials say a propane leak at the site of the train derailment along the Mississippi is limited to a small tank.
by Sea Stachura

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DC man charged in Gunflint wildfire kills self

DC man charged in Gunflint wildfire kills self

A Washington, D.C., man accused of causing one of the most destructive forest fires in Minnesota history has committed suicide, his attorney said Tuesday.

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Crash blocks Hwy 5 bridge between St. Paul and Ft. Snelling

A crash involving as many as eight cars has blocked traffic on the Highway 5 bridge between St. Paul and Fort Snelling.

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Fire in Isle, Minn., prompts evacuations

Fire officials say it is still unclear what started an early morning fire at a manufacturing plant in Isle on the shores of Lake Mille Lacs.
by Elizabeth Baier

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Remembering a fierce Great Lakes storm

Remembering a fierce Great Lakes storm

In the fall of 1905, a powerful storm struck the Great Lakes, causing one of the most dramatic shipping disasters in the nation's history. A new book by Curt Brown tells the story of that storm: "So Terrible a Storm: A Tale of Fury on Lake Superior."
by Cathy Wurzer

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Safety board faults design flaws in bridge

Safety board faults design flaws in bridge

The National Transportation Safety Board has closed its investigation into the I-35W bridge collapse. The board ruled that the gusset plates on the bridge were not designed properly and also found that MnDOT had not adequately overseen the bridge's design.
by Sea Stachura

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NTSB bridge investigation documents

In its investigation of the 35W bridge collapse, the National Transportation Safety Board prepared over 100 documents.

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Former MnDOT official reacts to NTSB findings

Former MnDOT official reacts to NTSB findings

Bob McFarlin, who was second in command at MnDOT when the 35W bridge collapsed, says the NTSB report does not find fault with the state's bridge inspection procedures. He spoke with MPR's Cathy Wurzer.
by Cathy Wurzer

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NTSB stresses connection between bad design and weight

NTSB investigators have found the weight of the bridge and construction materials and equipment placed on it forced a poorly-designed and under-sized gusset to fail.
by Sea Stachura

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NTSB hearing: Design errors, weight factor in bridge collapse

During a Thursday hearing of the National Transportation Safety Board, investigators say 289 tons of construction equipment and materials were stored on the 35W bridge on the day it collapsed. Investigators say an under-designed gusset plate was the primary cause of the disaster
by Sea Stachura

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