Salt Lake Tribune | 1915-12-19 | Page 1 | Car Goes through Bridge; 5 Killed

CAR GOES THROUGH Mfi KILLED Serious Accident at Spo kane, Structure Recently Pronounced Safe SPOKANE, Wash. Do. 18. The north span of tbe Division street bridge across the Spokane river gave way under the weight of two passing street care today One of the cars, carrying fifteen passen gers. plunged into the river and fiTe men were killed and ten injured The other car which had reached the end of the bridge, slid back until the rear end rested on the river bed. The two passengers and crew escaped uninjured. A seven ton steel beam knocked off by the car that fell into the river fell lengthwise of the car on the seats, hold ing the passengers on that side of the car under the water Tbe passengers on the other side of the car after being submerged crawled up the twisted girders of the wrecked bridge and were rescued. The bridge as It fell took away the water and gas p pes and the telephone and electric wires which supply the northeast section of tbe city Escaping water and gas and charged electric wires hindered Immediate rescue of the sur vivors. The police announced that all bod es had been recovered after ten hours work Of the Injured one man s con dltion is serious. The dead were readily identified as being residents of Spokane. The city constructed the bridge re cently and It was pronounced safe.