News

Thursday night's bridge collapse has put a spotlight on truckers who carry oversized loads. Preliminary reports suggest that a truck that clipped a bridge support is what caused the spectacular collapse.

During an emergency, first responders are trained to work quickly to save lives. They’re deliberate and methodical.

People in emotional distress after a fire or accident need someone with different training. For them an emergency department may send a chaplain. The Police and Fire Chaplin's Training Academy in Seattle just graduated a new crop of chaplains for emergency departments around the country.

A parade of people who live and work near the collapsed bridge in Mt. Vernon continued to visit the scene today to get a first-hand look at the damage, snap photos and swap news about the accident.

“I’m scared to drive over other bridges,” said Jerry Olmstead, who works in Mt. Vernon and crosses this bridge several times a week. “What if another bridge in Washington goes?”

Dr. Gordon Giesbrecht, a thermophysiologist from the University of Manitoba, has studied over 100 car submersions. He says  you have 30-60 seconds to get out of a sinking car, and you don't want to wait until the car is completely underwater.

MOUNT VERNON, Wash. (AP) — Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has declared a state of emergency in three counties around a collapsed Interstate 5 bridge.

WSDOT is asking drivers to avoid the I-5 Skagit River area if possible, or allow ample time for a slow commute. Both directions of I-5 are closed in Skagit County.

MOUNT VERNON, Wash. (AP) — A truck carrying an oversize load struck a bridge on the major thoroughfare between Seattle and Canada, sending a section of the span and two vehicles into the Skagit River below, though all three occupants suffered only minor injuries.

A sexual harassment lawsuit against an Eastern Washington farm came under scrutiny this week during a congressional hearing. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently lost this expensive, high-profile case and some Congress members are now asking, “Was it worth it?” 

Cab drivers spoke out against new app-based car services during a Seattle City Council meeting Thursday. Companies such as Uber, SideCar and Lyft offer smartphone apps that allow users to book a ride by the touch of a button. Those business operations are mostly unregulated, and their presence in Seattle has led to questions about whether the companies are legal.