Once the chords began to buckle, there were thousands of tons of ironwork, all riveted together and lying in midair without support.
It tore itself to pieces with roaring and grinding and noises that were like the shrieks of a steam whistle.

There was no shock of any kind; the bridge had no impetus except from its own weight.

It lurched neither to right nor left, but sank almost in a vertical line, snapping and breaking and tearing as it went, because no integral part could bear for an instant the enormous strain loosed upon it.

Some of the men jumped and some ran, trying to make the shore.
At the first shriek of the tearing iron, Alexander jumped from the downstream side of the bridge.

He struck the water without injury and disappeared.