Québec Bridge Disasters

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Construction on the Québec Bridge, 11 km above QUÉBEC CITY, officially began in 1900. On 29 August 1907, when the bridge was nearly finished, the southern cantilever span twisted and fell 46 m into the St Lawrence River. Seventy-five workmen, many of them Kahnawake (formerly Caughnawaga), were killed in Canada's worst bridge DISASTER. An inquiry established that the accident had been caused by faulty design and inadequate engineering supervision. Work was resumed, but on 11 September 1916 a new centre span being hoisted into position fell into the river, killing 13 men. The bridge was completed in 1917 and the Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII) officially opened it 22 August 1919.

See also BRIDGES.

Québec Bridge Disaster
Québec Bridge Disaster
Remains after the southern span fell in 1907, killing 75 (courtesy Library and Archives Canada/PA-109498).
Québec Bridge
Québec Bridge
At the time of its completion, the bridge was the longest of its type in the world (photo by Michel Gagnon/CUQ Communications).
Québec Bridge Collapse, 1916
Québec Bridge Collapse, 1916
The actual collapse of the centre span of the Québec Bridge, September 11, 1916 (courtesy National Archives of Canada).

Author HUGH A. HALLIDAY


Links to Other Sites
Québec Bridge Disaster -- 11 September 1916
An illustrated feature about the tragic Québec bridge disaster. From Library and Archives Canada.

The Québec Bridge Disasters
A detailed examination of the Québec Bridge disasters from Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carleton University.

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