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[narrator] Just four days after September 11, 2001
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Engineering Catastrophes

The section of highway slapped the wate so hard, it splashed the waterso high up that it...

[narrator] Just four days after September 11, 2001, The residents of South Padre Texas were already on edge when disaster struck one of the biggest bridges in the Lone Star State. But this was no attack. A barge loaded with thousands of tons of steel had missed the main navigation channel by more than 300 feet, ramming into the Queen Isabella Causeway [crashing] [Robert] The section of highway slapped the wate so hard, it splashed the water
so high up that it looked like rain to us. [narrator] In the darkness, vehicles had no idea that the bridge was down. [Robert] The engines revvin out of control for the individuals who were slamming on the pedals in desperation trying to sto or get out of the way or speed up. I could not believe
what I was witnessing

Full Transcript

00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:04.798
[narrator] Just four days after September 11, 2001,
00:00:04.008 --> 00:00:08.798
The residents of South Padre Texas were already on edge
00:00:08.084 --> 00:00:12.998
when disaster struck one of the biggest bridges in the Lone Star State.
00:00:15.008 --> 00:00:18.398
But this was no attack.
00:00:18.004 --> 00:00:21.558
A barge loaded with thousands of tons of steel
00:00:21.056 --> 00:00:25.638
had missed the main navigation channel by more than 300 feet,
00:00:26.006 --> 00:00:29.238
ramming into the Queen Isabella Causeway
00:00:29.044 --> 00:00:32.118
[crashing]
00:00:32.012 --> 00:00:35.318
[Robert] The section of highway slapped the wate so hard,
00:00:35.032 --> 00:00:37.358
it splashed the water so high up
00:00:37.433 --> 00:00:39.838
that it looked like rain to us.
00:00:39.084 --> 00:00:45.598
[narrator] In the darkness, vehicles had no idea that the bridge was down.
00:00:45.006 --> 00:00:48.638
[Robert] The engines revvin out of control for the individuals
00:00:48.064 --> 00:00:50.598
who were slamming on the pedals
00:00:50.006 --> 00:00:55.438
in desperation trying to sto or get out of the way or speed up.
00:00:55.044 --> 00:00:58.718
I could not believe what I was witnessing.
Duration
60 seconds
Views
14
Timestamp in Movie
00:15:44
Uploaded
Oct 28, 2025
Season
6
Episode
2
Genres
documentary
Production
Moviecoop

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Movie Summary

With access to all phases of design and a large cast of experts, some of the great failures of engineering history are uncovered.
S06 • E09 When it hardened, - Engineering Catastrophes 00:08
When it hardened,
S06 • E08 [narrator] Resident Larry Johnson arrived two decades ago, - Engineering Catastrophes 00:25
[narrator] Resident Larry Johnson arrived two decades ago,
S06 • E09 CUETO: That grout is integral to be able to transfer - Engineering Catastrophes 00:10
CUETO: That grout is integral to be able to transfer
S06 • E10 They literally hold back the soil. - Engineering Catastrophes 00:16
They literally hold back the soil.
S06 • E05 [narrator] Construction began in 2002. - Engineering Catastrophes 00:12
[narrator] Construction began in 2002.
S06 • E07 NARRATOR: Steel grows and shrinks with - Engineering Catastrophes 00:14
NARRATOR: Steel grows and shrinks with
S06 • E09 This method of construction is - Engineering Catastrophes 00:05
This method of construction is
S06 • E04 [Joel] Beer is a really popular drink in this part of the country - Engineering Catastrophes 00:09
[Joel] Beer is a really popular drink in this part of the co...
S06 • E01 Luckily, the state sits above a massive natural reservoir. - Engineering Catastrophes 00:06
Luckily, the state sits above a massive natural reservoir.
S06 • E09 NARRATOR: By the fall of 2012, progress was good - Engineering Catastrophes 00:09
NARRATOR: By the fall of 2012, progress was good
S06 • E03 [narrator] But this wasn't an earthquake. - Engineering Catastrophes 00:23
[narrator] But this wasn't an earthquake.
S06 • E10 Retaining walls can use deep, driven pilings, - Engineering Catastrophes 00:09
Retaining walls can use deep, driven pilings,
S06 • E08 [scoffs] There's just nothing like it. - Engineering Catastrophes 00:27
[scoffs] There's just nothing like it.
S06 • E04 [narrator] From the 1960s, Redbank's malt was stored - Engineering Catastrophes 00:45
[narrator] From the 1960s, Redbank's malt was stored
S06 • E05 [narrator] But the long awaited bridge - Engineering Catastrophes 00:11
[narrator] But the long awaited bridge
S06 • E07 ARCHIBALD: If you didn't take into account that - Engineering Catastrophes 00:15
ARCHIBALD: If you didn't take into account that
S06 • E01 [narrator] Jim Olson is a Florida based geophysicist. - Engineering Catastrophes 00:11
[narrator] Jim Olson is a Florida based geophysicist.
S06 • E09 But this build was about to go badly wrong. - Engineering Catastrophes 00:06
But this build was about to go badly wrong.
S06 • E10 But here, they went for a gravity wall. - Engineering Catastrophes 00:13
But here, they went for a gravity wall.
S06 • E01 It is over 1000 feet thick and supplies millions - Engineering Catastrophes 00:28
It is over 1000 feet thick and supplies millions