Tanker Truck Explodes on Wiehltal Bridge

On August 26, 2004, on the Wiehltal Bridge in Germany, a passenger automobile skidded on wet asphalt. The car collided with a tanker truck carrying 32,000 liters of gasoline and fuel. The guard rails were only designed to stop cars weighing up to 13 tons and were unable to hold the truck, which exploded after falling 30 meters off the A 4 Autobahn. . Following the explosion, a large fire broke out, with temperatures estimated to be around 1200°C. The truck driver was killed, and the bridge's load-bearing capacity was shattered, forcing it to close to traffic.

The bridge will cost $318 million to replace after temporary repairs cost $40 million. This was by far the most expensive accident in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Total loss: $358 million