Deadly bridge collapse in Point Pleasant, West Virginia - 1967
This is the story of the deadliest bridge collapse in modern history.
Photo credit: Harvey Eugene Smith/AP, left; Corbis, right.
This second episode shares witness accounts to the Silver Bridge Collapse in Point Pleasant, 1967.
Sources for this series:
Silver Bridge
The Silver Bridge in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, is a vital transportation link that spans the Ohio River, connecting Point Pleasant to Gallipolis, Ohio.
Built in 1928, this two-lane, eyebar-chain suspension bridge is named for its distinctive silver-colored paint. It features two massive steel towers that rise up from concrete piers on either side of the river. And it’s connected by suspension cables that are anchored from the tops of the towers and extend the span of the bridge to provide stability and strength for the roadway deck.
About a third of the length of the Golden Gate bridge, it spans about 1460 feet across and is approximately 100 feet above the vast Ohio River below. This allows clearance for any river traffic below.
Building the Silver Bridge in Point Pleasant was a significant engineering feat that required careful planning and precise construction techniques. It was one of only a few eye-bar suspension bridges in the US and the longest eyebar-chain suspension span in the world. For anyone like me who doesn’t know what an eyebar chain is, it’s a series of straight metal bars with holes on each end made to be linked together. This made it a notable engineering achievement of its time.
Silver Bridge Collapse
The bridge begins to sway, dumping vehicles into the water below. The first tower falls and then the other. There’s a sudden flash and a puff of smoke as the connecting power lines snap. Finally the whole thing pitches over to one side and crashes into the river, crashing down on top of many vehicles.
36 vehicles plungle almost 100 feet into below 40F water of the Ohio River. The Silver bridge collapses on top of many of the vehicles, driving them to the river bottom. Only 9 people survive the collapse that kills 46 people.
Following the aftermath of the collapse, an investigation is initiated. It determines that there was a failure of a single eye-bar in the suspension chain. Looking through records, they find that no one has inspected the bridge thoroughly for over 15 years, since 1951. And state “inspections” at the time consisted of looking at the top of the bridge using binoculars.
The almost 40 year-old-bridge was severely corroded and the design was questioned. Using suspension chains instead of cables was the cheaper option - however if one link cracked, the whole thing would collapse. Which is exactly what happened.
Victims and their families sued US Steel who supplied the steel and built the bridge however the National Transportation Safety board released its report and assigned no blame to anyone.
Mothman Celebration
Photograph by Matt Bayman
Those living in Point Pleasant have not forgotten this tragic day and host an annual celebration, instead of a memorial. The Mothman Festival brings thousands of people every year to remember the winged creature that was seen before the collapse.
A mothman statue has even been put up in the city to commemorate this time in their city’s history.
As we close out Series 2, remember to kiss, squeeze, hug your loved ones.
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