As Oklahoma mourns the lives of those lost in the Interstate 40 bridge collapse, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation is dealing with the aftermath of the tragedy. The department is concerned with how to address the remaining bridge structure and moving the two barges that are currently pinned under the fallen bridge near Webbers Falls.
As of press time, 14 people were confirmed dead after a barge collided into an I-40 bridge, sending cars, trucks and trailers into the Arkansas River early Sunday morning.
An official from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol said the status of the efforts was changed from recovery to salvage as of Wednesday. “We have exhausted all means and sonar has shown no other signs of vehicles or victims, he said. At any time if vehicles or victims are found, we will switch back to a recovery effort,” he said.
Seven women, seven men and at least 10 vehicles were pulled from the river after one of two barges pushed by the tugboat struck a pillar, collapsing a 500 to 600-foot section of the bridge along I-40 around.
Among those lost were Andrew Clements, 35, who was traveling from California to Woodbridge, Va., Jeanine Cawley, 48, of Lebanon, Ore., Margaret Green, 45, of Stockdale, Texas, Gail Shanahan, 49, of Corpus Christi, Texas, Misty Johnson, 28, of Lavaca, Ark., James Johnson, 30, of Lavaca, Ark., Paul Tailele Jr., 39, of Magna, Utah, Wayne Martin, 49, of Norman, Susan Martin, 49, of Norman, Jerry Gillion, 58, of Spiro, Patricia Gillion, 57, of Spiro, David Mueggenborg, 52, of Okarche and Jean Mueggenborg, 51, also of Okarche.
The Johnsons’ three-year-old daughter, Shea Nicole, was found floating approximately one-half mile south of the bridge. She was one of the 14 victims pronounced dead. The Johnsons were on the way to the Tulsa Zoo.
The medical examiner ruled the manner of death an accident on all 14 victims. Drowning was the cause of death on 13 of the casualties. The medical examiner ruled Clements’ cause of death blunt trauma to the head.
Joe Dedmon, captain of the tugboat pushing the 400 to 500-ton barge, apparently “blacked out” minutes before the barge crashed into the bridge. 62, Conway, Ark., Rodney Tidwell, 37, Ripley, Miss., Max Alley, 67, Stroud and Goldie Alley, 68, Stroud, were all rescued from the murky water.
Rescue teams have been working day and night but have had difficulty recovering bodies and cars due to inclement weather, including lightning, thunder and flash floods, and the unclear water conditions, but the use of sonar, which shows a one-dimensional map of the bottom of the river, has boosted the recovery efforts.
“We’re able to see good depictions of what it looks like: the rubble, the roadway, the vehicles, tractor-trailers, and that’s a great benefit,” West said.
Oklahoma Highway Patrol Diver Terry Stephens said the vehicles appeared to have been crushed a second time after the bridge collapse.
“I’ve never seen destruction like this before,” Stephens said.
When Stephens was asked if he thought anyone could have escaped the sunken vehicles, he said, “No,” before walking away visibly shaken.
Keating declared in the order that it is necessary to provide for the rendering of mutual aid among the State and political subdivisions of the State and to cooperate with the federal government with respect to carrying out disaster emergency functions during the continuance of the State emergency pursuant to the provisions of the Oklahoma Civil Defense and Emergency Resources Management Act.
Dan Mahoney, Gov. Keating’s Press Secretary, said the declaration puts on paper what has already been done.
“Basically, this is to get full force of the state behind whatever needs done. It is also the first step in getting a federal declaration. There can’t be a federal declaration unless a state declaration is filed first,” Mahoney said.
