May 1, 2007: Melted freeway

Undertoad · 05-01-2007, 08:02 AM

Via Spluch comes this sfgate.com story about a gasoline tanker's misadventure near Oakland, CA. Seems the gent was traveling a bit fast and overturned. The thing is, if you do that to a gas tanker, and the gas ignites:

It may just be hot enough to melt all the metal in the structure of an overpass.

Quote:

The single-vehicle crash occurred on the lower roadway when the tanker, loaded with 8,600 gallons of unleaded gasoline and heading from a refinery in Benicia to a gas station on Hegenberger Road in Oakland, hit a guardrail at 3:41 a.m.

Engineers said the green steel frame of the I-580 overpass and the bolts holding the frame together began to melt and bend in the intense heat -- and that movement pulled the roadbed off its supports.

The driver had enough sense to know he was hurt and hailed a taxi to get off the scene and to a hospital:

Quote:

Mosqueda, an employee of Sabek Transportation in San Francisco for 10 months, got out of the truck on his own after it overturned and hailed a taxi that took him to Kaiser Hospital in Oakland, witnesses and police said.

He has been transferred to the burn unit at St. Francis Hospital in San Francisco, where his father said he was "doing OK" this afternoon, having sustained burns on his face, neck and hands. The family expected Mosqueda to remain hospitalalized two or three more days.

It's not so bad. If you had a good four-wheel drive you could still use it.

Aliantha · 05-01-2007, 08:04 AM

We've had this one on the news over here. I was amazed when I first saw the story. I thought someone had blown it up till I turned the sound up and found out it was the heat from the fire alone that'd caused all the damage.

It must have been intense.

glatt · 05-01-2007, 08:34 AM

Those poor bastards will have traffic nightmares for a while with this. Glad it didn't happen in my city.

Ibby · 05-01-2007, 09:16 AM

This even made page one of the Taipei newspaper.

Wow.

elSicomoro · 05-01-2007, 09:41 AM

Something like this should quiet the conspiracy theorists that think the WTC towers were brought down by the government...but they'll find some way to twist it to their point of view.

LabRat · 05-01-2007, 09:55 AM

W.O.W.

Would the tankers insurance company be responsible for the repair of the bridge, (assuming it was properly insured), or does the city end up having to eat the cost of the repairs?

Either way, yikes.

Sheldonrs · 05-01-2007, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sycamore

Something like this should quiet the conspiracy theorists that think the WTC towers were brought down by the government...but they'll find some way to twist it to their point of view.

Or MAYBE this was caused by the government to make us BELIEVE that it's possible to melt that kind of steel with the flames alone.

Not that I want to start any conspiracy theories or anything. hehehe

piercehawkeye45 · 05-01-2007, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sycamore

Something like this should quiet the conspiracy theorists that think the WTC towers were brought down by the government...but they'll find some way to twist it to their point of view.

I forget what there response to it is...

rfoxx · 05-01-2007, 10:26 AM

This is really their own fault for building a bridge on the cheap. Engineers have known for years that all structural steel should be encased in concrete. That protects it from fire, especially the ultra-hot kind. And it's not like this the first time a gas truck ever burned on the road. Hopefully, they'll rebuild it right this time.

Sheldonrs · 05-01-2007, 10:52 AM

From www.rosie.com:

"jen writes:

Your right again! Have you seen them demo the SF bridge? Steel Beams still there and holding up most of it! Not melted rubble, concrete having to be broken up. Keep speaking out - more are joining!

CORRECT JEN "

CharlieG · 05-01-2007, 10:57 AM

Paging Dr Rosie O'Donnel....

elSicomoro · 05-01-2007, 11:18 AM

Sheldon, if you and your partner ever go on one of her cruises, I may have no choice but to kick your asses...but it won't be a hate crime, I assure you.

freshnesschronic · 05-01-2007, 11:30 AM

Traffic nightmares? This is a day in the life of commuting to Chicago.

Actually this is extreme but yeah our traffic here sucks.

glatt · 05-01-2007, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freshnesschronic

Traffic nightmares? This is a day in the life of commuting to Chicago.

I'm sure traffic in Chicago is bad, but this happened in SF which has the second worse traffic in the country after LA. Chicago isn't even in the top five. This takes out two major highways. It's a big deal for them.

freshnesschronic · 05-01-2007, 12:24 PM

Yeah my bad, I guess Cali has worse traffic.

05-01-2007, 08:04 AM	#2
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	We've had this one on the news over here. I was amazed when I first saw the story. I thought someone had blown it up till I turned the sound up and found out it was the heat from the fire alone that'd caused all the damage. It must have been intense. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

05-01-2007, 09:16 AM	#4
Ibby erika Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: "the high up north" Posts: 6,127	This even made page one of the Taipei newspaper. Wow. __________________ not really back, you didn't see me, i was never here shhhhhh

05-01-2007, 09:55 AM	#6
LabRat twatfaced two legged bumhole Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 3,143	W.O.W. Would the tankers insurance company be responsible for the repair of the bridge, (assuming it was properly insured), or does the city end up having to eat the cost of the repairs? Either way, yikes. __________________ Strength does not come from how much weight you can lift, or how many miles you can run. It comes from knowing that you set a goal, and rose to the challenge. Strength comes from within.

05-01-2007, 10:52 AM	#10
Sheldonrs Master Dwellar Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 4,412	From www.rosie.com: "jen writes: Your right again! Have you seen them demo the SF bridge? Steel Beams still there and holding up most of it! Not melted rubble, concrete having to be broken up. Keep speaking out - more are joining! CORRECT JEN " __________________ Laugh and the world laughs with you; cry and the world laughs AT you.

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05-01-2007, 08:34 AM	#3
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	Those poor bastards will have traffic nightmares for a while with this. Glad it didn't happen in my city.

05-01-2007, 09:41 AM	#5
elSicomoro Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 12,486	Something like this should quiet the conspiracy theorists that think the WTC towers were brought down by the government...but they'll find some way to twist it to their point of view.

05-01-2007, 10:26 AM	#9
rfoxx Questionist Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 8	This is really their own fault for building a bridge on the cheap. Engineers have known for years that all structural steel should be encased in concrete. That protects it from fire, especially the ultra-hot kind. And it's not like this the first time a gas truck ever burned on the road. Hopefully, they'll rebuild it right this time.

05-01-2007, 10:57 AM	#11
CharlieG Hoodoo Guru Join Date: May 2001 Posts: 301	Paging Dr Rosie O'Donnel....

05-01-2007, 11:18 AM	#12
elSicomoro Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 12,486	Sheldon, if you and your partner ever go on one of her cruises, I may have no choice but to kick your asses...but it won't be a hate crime, I assure you.

05-01-2007, 11:30 AM	#13
freshnesschronic Professor Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 1,555	Traffic nightmares? This is a day in the life of commuting to Chicago. Actually this is extreme but yeah our traffic here sucks.

05-01-2007, 12:24 PM	#15
freshnesschronic Professor Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 1,555	Yeah my bad, I guess Cali has worse traffic.

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