On June 17, 1958, at around 3:40 p.m., two spans of the Second Narrows Bridge, then under construction, suddenly collapsed into Burrard Inlet.
Seventy-nine workers fell. Among the 19 dead were 14 ironworkers, three engineers, a painter, and a commercial diver who died a few days later when he drowned trying to recover a body. Twenty others were seriously injured.
The Second Narrows Bridge officially opened two years later on Aug. 25, 1960. However, it wasn’t until 1994 that the bridge’s name was formally changed to Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing, to honour all who lost their lives during its construction.
Visit the MONOVA website for more information about the history of the North Shore and to plan your visit to MONOVA: Museum of North Vancouver, now open at 115 West Esplanade in The Shipyards.
Currently, MONOVA: Archives of North Vancouver ,at 3203 Institute Road in Lynn Valley, is open by appointment only. Contact: archives@monova.ca
Navigate culture on the North Shore by using the North Shore Culture Compass.
