Episode 364: On June 17, 1958, a warm summer afternoon in Vancouver, British Columbia, the bustling construction site of the Second Narrows Bridge was alive with activity. Seventy-nine workers, including ironworkers, engineers, and painters, were perched high above the waters of Burrard Inlet, labouring to connect Vancouver to the North Shore. Little did they know that in mere moments, their world would come crashing down in what would become the worst industrial disaster in Vancouver's history. Several bridge spans suddenly collapsed as they attempted to join two chords of the unfinished arch. The disaster sent all the bridge builders on shift plummeting 30 meters into the waters below. Tragically, 18 workers lost their lives instantly or shortly after, possibly due to drowning from their heavy tool belts. The death toll rose to 19 when a diver searching for bodies also drowned in the days following the collapse.

Sources:

Collapse of the Second Narrows Bridge during Construction | Proceedings | Vol , No

1958 – BC Infrastructure Disaster – Ironworkers Memorial Bridge – Vancouver 1958

Time Traveller: 19 die in 1958 Second Narrows Bridge collapse and ensuing rescue

Second Narrows Bridge Collapse

Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing

The Lions Gate Bridge

The Lions Gate Bridge - And The Lions Who Guard It

Building a Vancouver Icon: The Lions Gate Bridge - Introduction - MONOVA

Jun 18, 1958, page 35 - The Province at Newspapers.com

Last living survivor of Second Narrows Bridge disaster won't let pandemic stop him from honouring dead | CBC News

Check out this historical video report on the 1958 collapse of the Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing (VIDEO)

Tragedy at Second Narrows: The Story of the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge

Time Traveller: 19 die in 1958 Second Narrows Bridge collapse and ensuing rescue

This Week in History: 1896: The Point Ellice Bridge collapses in Victoria, killing 55

Looking Back: 126 years since 55 killed in catastrophic Victoria bridge collapse

The Point Ellice Bridge Failure

The Point Ellice Bridge Disaster

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