The Tacoma Narrows Bridge Disaster | A Short Documentary | Fascinating Horror 

This is a reupload of a previous video with one small edit. I can't say any more about why I made this edit, but do want to say a big thank you to my viewers for their comments - I read as many as I can, and your feedback (both negative and positive) really does help the channel (and me as a creator) grow in the right direction. Thanks for being honest with me, thanks for watching, and - as always - stay safe out there!

"Would have increased cost" Me: "HERE WE GO" *throws hands up*

Also, notice how many of these disasters happen because someone was cutting costs at the expense of safety. Like the hotel walkway.

Though I’m saddened about the poor dog that was lost in the collapse, it’s a miracle that nobody else was on the bridge and everyone else survived. Especially the man crawling his way to safety.

Pro tip: if you have a scared animal like that you throw your shirt or jacket over them then get them out. I was able to save a scared snapping turtle off the highway this way. Rip tubby

I live on the west side of the bridge, Tubby has not been forgotten. ❤️ There’s a small dog park named in his memory called “Tubby’s Trail,” it’s brought much joy to my dog and so many others. I like to imagine he lives there and plays with other dogs every single day. (Cool I’m crying now lol) Likewise, the ruins of the bridge have become home to extraordinarily large specimens of ‘Giant Pacific Octopus.’ Because the narrows is such a nutrient rich waterway, the Octopus have been able to grow VERY large. The ocean floor is otherwise unremarkable, so the bridge has become a true artificial reef for a host of exceptional wildlife. (Posted on original video)

Pretty rare to have actual footage of a disaster from so long ago. This and the Hindenburg for example.

Thank you for including the entire story about Tubby. Often people leave out that the owner felt horrible for leaving him and that there was an attempt to get him.

Me at the start of the video: "Hey, he didn't mention any casualties, that's nice" *five minutes later* "OH GOD WHY"

The man actually scrubbed the BetterHelp sponsorship and re-uploaded the video. I feel bad considering your work deserves sponsorship since the quality videos you put out are really well done. You could have simply left the video as it was, but you didn’t. Please smash the like button on this video, people. This man doesn’t earn enough credit he deserves.

Unbelievably noble of you to actually remove an sponsor based on feedback from your viewers, and some research on your part I'm assuming. This is especially amazing due to your channel being relatively new. Please let us know how we can provide monetary support to FH. I'd really like to be a patron.

I didn't even know a concrete structure could twist like that - amazing footage

What I appreciate most about your channel and your videos is that you can take what would normally be a 45-60 minute documentary and condense it into an easier to consume 5-15 minute video that is still very informative and explains all of the important facts. Thank you!

Poor Tubby. If only pets knew we just want to help them.

This channel is so human and compassionate, caring for truth and respect. This is very much appreciated.

The footage of the undulating and twisting bridge has stuck with me ever since I first saw it decades ago. Chilling and sinister.

"They nicknamed the bridge Galloping Gertie" Me: They nicknamed the BRIDGE what now?

Damn it. For once I thought no one would be hurt, but then you tell me that Tubby died. Poor Tubby

I remember learning about this in my engineering classes! It's a really interesting phenomenon and case study about how aerodynamics plays a big role in civil engineering structures. At the time, new materials and building methods allowed bridges to become longer and lighter (and therefore more flexible). Essentially, if you build a bridge similar enough to a wing, it's going to start acting like a wing (or just having some really weird aerodynamic interactions). Really highlights the importance of understanding fluid dynamics ("fluids" in engineering include liquids and gases like air) and running scale model testing in a flume or wind tunnel

Was doubting my sanity imagining a video I had already viewed! Glad it is a reupload.

Suggestions for new stories: -Three Mile Island, nuclear accident -Morandi Bridge Collapse (Genoa, Italy) -Vajont Dam Collapse (Near Venice, Italy)

holy shit that footage is wild! poor little tubby though, cant even imagine how his daughter felt when she was told. either than the rather unfortunate death of tubby, im glad there wasnt any casualties especially after seeing footage that crazy on that note, id like to make a recommendation for a topic for a future video, its about the second narrows bridge collapse during construction in 1958, its known today as the ironworkers memorial bridge or just second narrows.

Even in Tacoma, not many people my age know about this insane disaster. I'm really glad to see such a wonderful channel cover it.

Just like that, my irrational fear of bridges doesn't seem so irrational now... Rip Tubby 🙏🙏😔 Thanks for the edit dude, you don't usually see content creators actually take down and edit a video. Good on you!

Your integrity in how thoroughly you research, how sensitively you present the topics, and how open you were in response to your viewers' concerns, clearly demonstrates what a quality channel this is. Thank you for all your hard work! I would also like to add a vote for Peshtigo.

Growing up (ages birth - 13) my next door neighbor "Mr. Clifford" as I knew him was on the bridge that day & being back up camera man, reporter he took pictures the last moments of the bridge before it fell. And proof he's listed first of the people there Howard Clifford. ❤️ RIP 2009. You were a extremely amazing man who lived an incredible life of many hats. *Edit. He is actually the man in the video running off the bridge last. That's when he decided to try and save Tubby but he didn't get past the East tower before he had to run back. :( At least he did try to make an attempt to get to Tubby. No doubt if he had been one of the men who actually got to tubby and was bitten, it would not have deterred him and he would have gotten the dog. ❤️ (That's what I was always told as a kid & wanted to check those facts. Yes that's indeed him & the last man running off the bridge.)

I used to cross the second edition of this bridge on a regular basis when I was a kid. It always gave me nightmares, which I never understood. I would dream of falling through it: sometimes in the car while other times on foot. I’m 28 now and still remember those dreams very clearly.

I didnt know that sponsor was shady. Well i hope you get a better one soon!!!!

I first heard about this disaster when I was very young and my life was scarred by the thought that someone left their dog to die on the bridge. But now thanks to your video I now know that there were attempts made to save him and I feel at least a bit better about it. You always have some little tidbit of information that I have never heard before about almost every story even though I have been a disaster nut most of my life and know many of these stories very well.

Thank you for letting me know that they attempted to save the dog not just once but twice. Unfortunately, the poor thing was probably terrified and that's why it lashed out and bit those trying to help it. I always wondered if anyone tried to help that poor dog. Thanks again 😉

That footage doesn't even look *real,* holy shit. It doesn't even look possible!

Reminds me of a far worse bridging disaster and that is when the Silver Bridge collapsed over the Ohio River in Point Pleasant West Virginia. Killed 46 people two of which bodies were never recovered. To date it is the worst bridging disaster in the United States history.

You could've left it people don't understand how expensive RU-vid is. But good for you for not leaving it it really shows how much you read your comments and take in feedback from subscribers👏🏾👏🏾👌🏾👌🏾

This is my favorite disaster. I don't know why. Possibly because it's so freaky to see pavement flex like that, and because no one died thankfully.

I'm impressed and touched... I didn't know about the "shady" sponsor, nor have I ever seen anyone reupload for this reason... but as a lifetime sufferer of depression, I would be devastated to know someone sought help and something awful came from it... YOU ARE A GENUINELY GOOD MAN!

At first I thought this was reuploaded because people didn't want you to be sponsored at all. Now that I see who the sponsor was, I respect you for looking into it, and removing them. Like and comment just to help with interactions, everyone else should too.

The fact that you edited out the BetterHelp ad and reuploaded shows that you are an amazing content creator who has their audience in their best interests. You rock, dude. Keep up the awesome work!

have you ever looked into the Sunshine Skyway bridge accident? my mom actually survived that, her car was on the bridge when it happened, but far enough back that the part she was on didn't get destroyed. it's a pretty weird story. also, part of the original bridge still exists and is now used as a fishing dock running perpendicular to the new bridge. you can see exactly where the old one broke when you drive across the new one. always made me nervous as a kid when we drove over it lol.

I absolutely love the background music. It's so fitting and leaves a touch of curious- macabre, that gives me chills everytime. Thank you for all of your hard work!! Please....keep them coming! 💕

The Bridge: ~~~ People, apparently: Eh I'll go across anyway

Both times I watched this, I said out loud "TUBBY NO" when you mentioned he bit the person trying to save him :( RIP Tubby, a good boy

I’ve been binging your videos like crazy and was not expecting to come across this. My neighbor growing up was the daughter, Tubbys owner. Such a weird and heartbreaking story in the area.

“Ultimately this proposal was set aside in favor of a cheaper one.” *every fucking time*

RIP Tubby.

Oh good. I was having a real Groundhog Day moment there for a second

Hi, me and the wife love your videos! Id like to tip you off on quite a creepy disaster from Sweden, the Tjörn Bridge collapse. A cargo ship drifted off course late at night, hit the foundations of the bridge, and made the whole thing collapse. The visibility in the area was abysmal, and the ships radiomast was damaged by debre, so they werent able to contact the authorities. Seven cars drove into the dark fog, not knowing the road was out, and fell into the water deep below. Eight people died. Again, love your stuff!

raised/still live in Seattle (about 45 minutes north of the Narrows). this story still gets passed around like folklore to this day with the (actual) locals who grew up here. my gf aunt's house looks directly at this thing. happy part of the story: there's a little trail/dog park around there called Tubby's Trail :) . the bridge nowadays is way different, and a giant multilane toll bridge, but still terrified to pass over it because of that video. we def appreciate ppl saying the names of our places correctly, as well. props for that.

For anybody wondering why the re-upload, in the original video he was sponsored by Betterhelp. A lot of the comments told him to look into it more because they’ve been controversial, and presumably he took that feedback, did his own research, and decided to cut out the sponsorship, withdraw support from the sponsor, and reupload the video. He probably can’t be blunt about this for legal reasons. Honestly massive props to the guy for taking feedback and withdrawing from a big financial opportunity like this, especially in these times when a lot of people are struggling.

Rewatching, liking, and commenting because you are a fantastic creator who deserves it!

I was one of the people who originally commented, stating my disappointment. I am honestly blown away that you went as far as to remove the sponsor. I have immense respect for you and I honestly would have just been glad if you never worked with them again. I'm sad to see you lose that money but hopefully better sponsors will come along (: I love your content and I love the focus you put on the things humanity learned through these disasters (it's not just a gore spectacle). You have just affirmed the impression I had of your character and am glad you really are as upstanding as you seem!

Wow! My respect for you has gone through the roof! It must of been a very tough decision to scrub their sponsorship, but I'm so glad you did. That company had such a dodgy history and I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole. You've shown much integrity by making this decision. Very rare nowaday and we all applaud you for it. If you have a Patreon account I'd be very very interested in donating. You deserve to be making money in 1 form or another for the videos you produce for us all. You've got my 100% support going forward.

I hope this re-upload doesn't hurt you in the future by making it more difficult to get new sponsors. I don't know how this all works, but I respect you turning down a sponsor because of...well, whatever the reason, I'm sure it's a good one.

I respect this decision a lot. Will rewatch the video so you don't lose out on revenue

At least Tubby had a rest area named after him nearby. Great vid again. Always fascinated by this story since watching Havoc in the 70’s.

Update: The doggo swam to safety, hence his body never being discovered.

I found your channel a couple days ago, and I’m obsessed!!!! Thank you for all the research and time you put into these videos!!!

I really like the work you put on your research, specially when it comes to explain the technical part. I always wonder if you have any insights over Engineer or Architecture, because you are really good on simplify and explain what went wrong. Keep up the great stuff!

good thing there was only one casualty but still poor Tubby. He must have been so scared.

The poor dog that was killed in this incident was so sad

I’ve watched most of your videos and not only are they fascinating and addicting, but they’re highly respectful. You stick to facts, you don’t show photos of the victims post-mortem, and your retellings are succinct and to-the-point while still giving all the details necessary to actually paint a picture. You also go into what regulations have been put in place, as well as any lawsuits. I’ve learned so much from your channel, and I’m so grateful to have found your channel as someone who has always been morbidly curious.

Thank youuuu so much. Respect for removing the betterhelp. Makes me respect you even more as a creator!

Thank you for listening to us. I really appreciate the work you put in these videos.

Great delivery. As a radio veteran, I very much appreciate that!

“This was expensive” *oh shit, here we go again

Appreciate the edit man. I'm glad you care for your content so well. Didn't expect you to read the comments so it's nice to see you do care for the community aswell. Aside that, I could've never imagined being on that wobbly bridge. I'd get a heart-attack if that were to happen to me.

re-watching, re-liking, and re-commenting for the algorithm. RIP pupper. Glad there have been more positive changes to come out this unfortunate disaster; always a good thing to learn from history.

This story never ceases to amaze me, it's such a powerful visual.

Oof;; a little movement in a structure is fine, but I can’t believe they let people use this bridge when it was shaking so badly on such a regular basis. RIP Tubby :(((

Nice, thanks for the video. The dog!!! The wind going across the bridge creates vortex shedding which causes a cyclic vertical force on the bridge, which if the frequency is the resonant frequency of the bridge(or a harmonic or integer multiple) the motion caused by the force accumulates, like pushing a swing. (This example is in a lot a physics texts.) Steve Mould has a great video about this effect on smoke stacks. Cool that they were trying to correct it with damping, and that they went back for the dog!

The local legend is that there's a giant octopus living in the wreckage, that's why your not allowed to dive it.

I was on the Golden Gate Bridge in 1987 when they closed it to auto traffic on the 50th anniversary of the Bridge's opening. Having arrived at about 1 am (My sojourn through the deserted streets of San Francisco from where we had to park to the GG Bridge during the wee hours of a Sunday morning is another tale) for the Bridge's 5:30 AM opening to foot traffic. As such we were among the few who were able to walk all the way across the bridge and back that morning. I feel fortunate to have this experience and to make it away unscathed. The planners had anticipated a crowd of about 100,000 people to show up. By 9 am there were over ¾ of a million people either on the bridge or trying to get on. It began wobbling in a manner similar to the Narrows, but not as pronounced. They say the bridge flattened in the middle, but I could feel up and down, sideways and rolling motion. Much slower and not as extreme as the narrows, but there was an unmistakable oscillation. It took us about an hour to get back to the San Francisco side from the middle of the span where a band was playing. But as the span started to move, many people wanted to get off ASAP. It would not have even taken a collapse to cause a catastrophe of unparalleled scope. All it would have taken was for the motion to get bad enough to cause panic. A stampede would have killed hundreds. Easily. And of course had the structure failed a quarter million people or more could have come down with it. While none of these things occurred to me at the time, I do know the rolling felt like a kind of slow motion earthquake. I have never felt a sensation like that before or since. It wasn't terrifying, it was just vaguely disquieting. It was afterward that we learned how worried engineers and emergency personnel were. They were very worried. I am obviously very glad the bridge held and no panic occurred. And I have every intention of being in SF in May 2037 when the bridge turns 100. I promised myself that all the way back in 1987. But I will not walk across a suspension bridge holding hundreds of thousands of people again. One time was sufficient. But what an incredible glorious day Sunday May 24 1987 was in my life. I hope somebody enjoys reading my little tale, And Thank You if did read this far. But no matter. I enjoyed writing it, if for nobody other than myself. It is a precious memory for many other reasons too.

I live in Washington state, and this was very interesting to learn about! You also have a very soothing voice.

The music goes especially well with the opening shot of the swaying bridge.

I saw the original upload here. I don't know much about sponsors and contractual obligations and it's really rare to see someone actually take down a video over something like this. Major props to you dude. Also you should totally make a patreon, I'm sure plenty of people would love to support you, including myself.

I live in Tacoma I am so grateful that you covered this story as it’s such a big part I’d our history

Tubby is never forgotten. Every time I drive over the Tacoma Narrows I remember this story and poor Tubby!

Thanks for your content- as a civil engineering student, your videos feel like a mix between extracurricular learning and entertaining storytelling - particularly those with a theme of structural failure or failure of engineering components. On one hand, I feel as though your content complements and supplements elements of my coursework. On the other, the deep dive into how these failures occurred is often chilling. For example, I hope to move into bridge inspection, and the footage of this bridge twisting and swaying is terrifying, especially when you consider than your calculations or lack of attention to detail could be responsible for a similar incident. I thoroughly appreciate the research and passion you put into your content, and the respect that you treat the subject matter with. The Morandi bridge collapse of 2018 in Genoa could be an interesting topic to do a deep dive into if you're ever stuck. Thanks and keep up the great work.

i have binge watched your videos during lockdown here in the UK, i think you do a fantastic job with them, i love the additional detail/background you give in each one, keep it going, love them.

I first saw the clip of twisting Tacoma Bridge on TV in childhood, 30 years ago. One of the most surreal footages of the last century, and the fact that it's black and white only adds to the impact. You will never forget the image, ever.

UW engineering students love this story. You gave a very good scientific explanation.

Some people are never happy. I’m sorry FH. I love all your videos, however since I was just on this bridge yesterday, I was so excited for this video! Keep up the good work!

You rock dude. And RIP Tubby :(

I was wondering why it said I hadn't watched the video yet when I did, but then I remembered everyone's grievance with the past video. This shows a lot of integrity, man. I'm subscribing.

I saw this disaster in a documentary on tv when I was really little and the image of the swaying bridge literally scarred me so much that for a good ten years till I was about 14 I was terrified of walking and driving over bridges. Honestly thought the footage was a fever dream until I remembered it recently and googled it finding it was real. Thanks for making a video on it! Rip tubby :(

Oh nice he removed the betterhelp ad

Love your videos and your factual, non-sensationalist way of telling the stories. Thanks for taking viewer feedback seriously!

I'm only 2 minutes in, but I've already heard the word "cheap" and I'm already like "uh oh..." Fellas, when building something meant to be safe to travel on, don't go for the cheap option.

I can only imagine the terror the dog face before its doom, the violent shaking, the terrifying noise, the plunge and then the water rushing in.

I can't tell you how much respect I have for you for making the choice you have

Good on you for removing the sponsorship! You absolutely deserve sponsorships, but it’s rare to see someone so willing to take feedback, do research, and take responsibility for mistakes. I appreciate it a lot, love your stuff, dude.

I am surprised by how flexible pavement apparently is. You'd think it would just crack and crumble away.

Love your videos and everything you do! Your facts-first approach is very refreshing. I appreciate your open dialogue with viewers, it’s heartwarming to see a content creators take in feedback. Your content is fantastic and I’m consistently referring friends to your channel. Thank you!

I hope people remember that despite the quality of your videos, your channel has only been going for about a year. Good on you for listening to your viewers. Love your channel, eager for the next video

You're good peeps. Thank you for listening to your viewers' concerns, and I hope you can find some more reputable sponsors - your videos are fantastic and you deserve the support. Also just noticed that I wasn't subscribed, for some reason, so I rectified that.

Good ol’ Galloping Gerty. Tacoma is my hometown and we’re weirdly fond of the nickname. The footage is INSANE but doesn’t stop most of us from crossing bridges often. I remember when the second bridge was opened; you travel each bridge one direction. One is a toll though so people don’t go that route without reason. There was also a bridge that collapsed several years ago on I-5 north of Seattle, and following that collapse a report was released that most of the bridges in the state were severely out of date and in need of renovations.

For all the times over the years that I've seen footage of and read about this collapse, I never knew about the reporter crawling on his hands and knees to safety. Thank you for sharing!

Very nicely done, thought it was a bit weird seeing betterhelp. But not everyone is clued up on a dodgy therapy app lol. Honest mistake, hopefully a better sponsor drops by...

Maybe the San Juanico Explosion, Peshtigo fire or the Bocaue pagoda tragedy are great topics for future videos, they are relatively unheard of.

I learned about Galloping Gerdy when i was in my drafting class. This incident is why there's grates on bridges like this. It lets wind get through the bridge, and it wont sway.

Thanks for a great channel and awesome content! Love the British accent too! I agree with October Marx: most of these disasters seem to stem from someone trying to save money, mostly by cutting corners. And inevitably there will be some disaster because money was saved by not being up to code. But the good thing about most of these disasters is that there are changes to laws, rules or ordinances that make the future better for us. My husband is legally blind, and I was interested in how things changed for the blind after the explosion in Halifax, Canada. That's because so many people were blinded by the flying glass. Keep up the great work! I started watching the oldest videos first, and I'm working my way up the list. I enjoy history, and I haven't heard of most of these.