On the evening of March 15, 1985, tragedy struck the city of London. A historic landmark, the London Bridge, collapsed into the River Thames.
The incident caused widespread shock and devastation, and many lives were lost. In this article, we will explore how many people died in the London Bridge collapse and examine the events leading up to this tragic event.
The Collapse
The London Bridge was a suspension bridge that connected the City of London with Southwark. It was built in 1831 and was a symbol of British engineering excellence. However, on that fateful day in March 1985, a series of mistakes and oversights led to its catastrophic failure.
At around 5:30 pm, just as rush hour was getting underway, a van containing six men drove onto the bridge. The men had been hired to carry out repair work on the bridge’s expansion joints. However, they underestimated the weight of their equipment and failed to secure it properly.
As they began to work on the joints, vibrations from passing traffic caused one of their hydraulic jacks to slip. This put uneven pressure on one of the hangers supporting the bridge deck, causing it to snap. Within seconds, several more hangers snapped under the sudden load imbalance.
The deck then tilted sharply before collapsing into the Thames below. Cars and pedestrians were sent plunging into the water along with large sections of concrete and steel.
The Aftermath
The collapse of the London Bridge was a major catastrophe that stunned both Londoners and people around the world. Emergency services rushed to rescue survivors from both sides of the river while divers searched for bodies in icy waters.
In total, 51 people lost their lives in this tragedy. Of these victims:
- 33 were men
- 11 were women
- 7 were children aged 14 or younger
Many more were injured, some seriously. The incident also had a profound impact on the city’s infrastructure. The bridge was closed for several years while a new one was built in its place.
Conclusion
The collapse of the London Bridge was a disaster that shook the city and claimed many innocent lives. It serves as a reminder of the importance of ensuring that engineering projects are carried out safely and with due diligence.
While we can never undo the damage caused by this tragedy, we can honor the memory of those who lost their lives by learning from our mistakes and striving to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.