>> it was huge. it was massive. it covered up an entire lane of the road. they were hitting this thing with all they had, and it was not cracking. you can see little splitters of rock climb through the area. as far as breaking that thing apart, it wasn't going anywhere. >> the 24-mile two-lane highway is flanked by mountain on one side and the river on the other. the trip through the gorge normally takes 20 minutes, but with the road closed, the detour around the mountain adds more than two hours around the commute. >> there's a tremendous amount of pressure to get the road open.

but you have to do it and do it safely. >> t jones knows commuters want him to work fast. >> we got people that get mad at us when we stop for five minutes doing maintenance work. >> according to jones the area gets two to three rock slides a year and when they happen, a tdot geologist is always called to the scene. >> we're called to view the situation to see whether we can get it safely done, to get everything stabilized to make sure it's safe for traffic to go through. >> vanessa is in her office when she gets report of the rock slide. >> at that point it was clear it was an emergency. they had a rock in the road. the road is closed. okay, what is going on. >> it takes bateman about three hours to drive to the site. >> the emergency response folks were there. the county maintenance guys were

there and then a construction company had been called to bring in the equipment that would be needed to break up the rocks that were on the road, get them off. there was one larger rock, and there was a news crew. >> we saw somebody from tdot show up. this young lady got out, and she walked up and looked at me and walked on past, and she glanced at the boulder and then she went over and talked to mr. jones. >> bill mitchell, a 30-year news veteran has covered many rock slides during his career, but none this big. >> and then she came back over and she said, why don't you guys move back a little ways. she said, i'm hearing things up on that mountain that really unnerve me. i said, what are you hearing? she said, i'm hearing pops and snaps that make me believe more debris will come down. we move back about 20 yards. >> i heard a sound that sounded

like a car door slam. i talked to steve, the county maintenance supervisor. he said, yeah, we did indeed hear this before. i said, we have to get all this construction equipment stopped. we have to hear what's going on. >> they stopped the jackhammer and moved the construction and news crews even further back. >> vanessa takes a look and then she walks back and she's talking to some of the tdot personnel, and all the sudden they start walking back, she jumped in her car and drives to the other end of the road, and they're walking backwards. they go right past me. and i turn to them. they said what's going on. what did she say? she said the mountain is going to come down. i said really? they said, yeah. she said run.

>> fairbanks moves to safety but keeps his camera rolling when it looks like nothing is going to happen. >> i just set up the camera and waited. our reporter bill mitchell came up. he said we probably ought to get back to the station. i said, yeah, you're probably right. but she looked really convinced. i would hate to leave and then hear it had fallen down. we almost both gave up at this point. then all the sudden a big slab of rock came down. >> 30,000 tons of mountain crashes down on the road. it takes only seconds for rocks and trees to descend onto the ground where they were just standing. >> all you could hear was the rumbling sound. it sounded like something out of a movie.

it sounded like cars crashing. rocks were hitting the ground. all the sudden it stopped and everything came to a standstill. >> i was looking at this thing not believing my eyes and then the whole thing comes rushing down the slope. an immense amount of noise and dust. and you never see something like this in person. >> there's so much stuff going through your mind. to see rocks the size of greyhound buses come off the side of that mountain, when they hit the road we found pieces of the yellow lun in the center of the river 200 feet away. when i watched those rocked come down, they didn't stop. i wonder, you know, if anybody had been toutd there could we have ever found them? >> while the road crew assesses the massive damage, the news crew asks themselves the age old photojournalist question.

did we get the shot? >> my worry was was it actually rolling. and, you know, i waited a little while before i hit stop. i thought, please let this be on camera. please let this be on camera. i went back and rewound the tip and hit play and there it was. felt a big sense of relief. >> got it. >> i knew he had it when he didn't talk to me. he just stood there and grinned. >> it takes road crews five months to reopen the highway. the total cost of the leanup, $2.5 million. >> we worked in the snow to get the site open again. these guys started doing the initial scaling so it was safe to move in equipment below the slope. and then a lot of work was done with a crane. we went in 15 to 40 feet and

added bolts to the site to try to stabilize it.

we saw the activists dressed in white, visit the families of political prisoners on sundays. and monks dressed in saffron,

protesting peacefully in the streets. we learned of ordinary people who organized relief teams to respond to a cyclone and heard the voices of students. we came to know exile and ref j refugees who never lost touch with their families. we were inspired by the fierce dignity of suchi as she proved no human being can truly be in prison if hope burns in your heart. when i took office as president, i sent a message to those governments who ruled by fear. i said in my inauguration address, we will extend a hand if you're willing to unclench your fist. over the last year and a half, a

dramatic transformation has begun. as a dictatorship oaf fiver fiv decades has loosened, a civilian now leaves the government. the once out lawed national leave for democracy stood for election. hundreds of prisoners have been released and forced labor has been banned. preliminary cease fires have been reached with ethnic armists and new laws allow for a more open economy. so today i come and keep my promise and extend the hand of friendship. america now has an ambassador, sanctions have been eased and we

will help rebuild an economy that can offer opportunity for its people and serve as an engine of growth for the world. but this remarkable journey has just befun. and has much further to go. reforms launch from the top of society must meet the aspirations of citizens who form its foundation. the flickers of progress that we have seen must not be extinguished. they must be strengthened. they must become a shining north star for all this nation's people. and your success in that effort is as important to the united states as it is from me. even though we come from different places, we share common dreams, to choose our leaders, to live together in peace, to get an education and make a good living, to love our families and our communities.

that's why freedom is not an abstract idea. freedom is the very thing that makes human progress possible. not just at the ballot box, but in our daily lives. one of our greatest presidents in the united states, franklin delenaor roosevelt understand that democracy was not just voting. he called upon the world to embrace four fundamental freedoms. freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want and freedom from fear. these four freedoms reinforce one another. you cannot totally realize one

without realizing them all. that's the future that we see. and that's what i want to speak to you about today. first, we believe in the right of free expression. so that the voices of ordinary people can be heard and governments reflect their will, the people's will. and the united states, for more than two centuries, we've worked to keep this promise for all of our citizens. to win freedom for those who were enslaved. to extend the right to vote for women and african americans, to protect the rights of workers, to organize. and we recognize no two nations achieve these rights in the same way, but there is no question that your country will be stronger if it draws on the strength of all of its people. that's what allows nations to succeed. that's what reform has begun to do.

instead of being repressed, the right of people to assemble together must now been fully respected. instead of being stifled, the vow of media censorship mus be lifted. as you take these steps, you can draw on your progress. instead of being ignored, citizens who protested the construction on the mid stone dam were hurt. instead of being outlawed, political parties have been allowed to participate. you can see progress being made. as one voter said, our parents and grand parents waited for this but never saw it. and now you can see it. you can taste freedom. and to protect the freedom of all of the voters, those in

power must accept constraints. that's what our american system is designed to do. measuring may have the strongest military in the world, but it must sb miubmit to civilian con. i, as president of the united states, make determinations that the military carries out. as president and commander in chief, i have that responsibility. now, on the other hand, as president, i cannot just impose my will on congress, the congress of the united states, even though sometimes i wish i could. the legislative branch has its own powers and own prerogatives. they check my pow ere and balance my power. i appoint some of my judges, but i cannot tell hem how to rule. every person in america, from a

child living in poverty to me, president of the united states, is equal under the law. and a judge can make a determination as to whether or not i am upholding the law or breaking the law and i am fully accountable to that law. and i describe our system in the united states because that's how you must reach for the future that you deserve. a future where a single prisoner of conscience is one too many. you need to reach for a future where the law is stronger than any single leader. you need to reach for a future where no child is made to be a soldier and no woman is explo exploited and where the laws protect them. even if they're vulnerable. even if they're weak.

and a constitution that guarantees that only those who are elected by the people may govern. on that journey, america will assist you every step of the way. and by partnering with you as you connect your progress to wards democracy with economic development. so advancing that journey will help you pursue a second freedom. the belief that all people should be free from want. it's not enough to trade a prison of powerlessness for the pain of an empty stomach. but history shows that governments of the people and by the people and for the people are far more powerful in delivering prosperity.

and that's the partnership we seek with you. when ordinary people have a say in their own future, then your land can't just be taken away from you and that's why reforms must ensure that the people of this nation can have that must fundamental of possessions, the right to own the title to the land of which you live and which you work. when your talents are unleashed, then opportunity will be created for all people. america is lifting our ban on companies doing business here. and your government has lifted restrictions on investment and taken steps to help your economy. now, as more wealth flows into your borders, we hope and expect it will lift up more people. it can't just help folks at the top, it has to help everybody. and that kind of economic growth, where everybody has opportunity, if you work hard, you can succeed.

that's what gets a nation moving rapidly when it comes to development. but that kind of growth can only be created if corruption is left behind. for investment to lead to opportunity, reform must promote budgets that are transparent and industry that is privately owned. to lead by example, america now insists that our companies meet high standards of openness of transparency if they're doing business here. and we'll work with organizations like the world bank to support small businesses and to promote an economy that allows entrepreneurs, small business people, to thrive. and allows workers to keep what they earnment and i very much welcome your government's recent decision to join what we call our open government partnership so citizens can come to expect accountability and learn exactly how moneys are spent and how

your system of government operates. above all, when your voices are heard in government, it's far more likely that your basic needs will be met. and that's why a reform must reach the daily lives of those who are hungry, those who are ill and those who live without electricity or water. and here, too, america will do our part would recollecting with you. today, i was proud to re-establish our usid in this country. et's our lead development in this country. to reestablish its capacity to feed its people and care for its sick and educate its children and build its way down the path to reform.

they must be protect eed agains exploitation. let us remember that in a global economy, a country's greatest resource is its people. so by investing in you, this nation can open the door for far more prosperity because unlocking a nation's potential depends on empowering off of its people, especially young people. just as education is the key to america's future, it is going to be the key to your future, as well. so we look forward to working with you as we have with many of your neighbors. to extend that opportunity and deepen exchanges among our students. we want students from this country to travel to the united states and learn from us and we want u.s. students to come here and learn from you. this truth leads me to the third freedom that i want to discuss. the freedom of worship. freedom to worship as you please. your right to basic human dignity.

this country, my own country, is blessed with diversity. not everybody looks the same. not everybody comes from the same region. not everybody worships in the same way. in your cities and towns, there are pagodas and temples and mosques and churches standing side-by-side. well over a hundred ethnic groups have been a part of your story. yet, within these borders, we've seen some of the world's longest running insurgencies which have cost countless lives and torn families and communities apart and stood in the way of development. no process of reform will succeed without national reconciliation. [ applause ]

>> you now have a moment of remarkable tuopportunity to transform cease fires into lasting settle pts. and to pursue peace where conflicts still linger. those efforts must lead to a more just and lasting peace, including humanitarian access to those in need. and a chance for the displaced to return home. today, we look at the recent violence in rokean state and we see the danger of continued tensions there. for too long, the people of this state face crushing poverty and persecution. but there's no excuse for violence against innocent people. and the rohyga hold within

themselves the same dignity as you do and i do. national reconciliation will take time. but for the sake of our common humanity and for the sake of this country's fieture, it's necessary to stop ensitement and to stop violence. and i welcome the government's commitment to address the issues of injustice and accountability and humanitarian access and citizenship. that's a vision that the world will support as you move forward. every nation struggles to find citizenship. america has had great debates and we're discussing this still today. but what we've learned in the united states is that with certain principles, they are universal. apply to everybody. no matter what you look like. no matter where you come from. no matter what religion you practice.

the right of people to live without the threat that their families may be harmed or their homes may be burned simply because of who they are or where they come from. only the people of this country ultimately can define your union. can define what it peens to be a citizen of this country. i have comforts thconfidence th you can draw on that. you have to seize that opportunity. you have to recognize that strength. i say this because my own country and my own life have taught me the power of diversity. the united states of america is a nation of christians and jews and muslims and buddhists and hindus and non-believers. our story is shaped by every language. it's enriched by ef culture.

we've tasted the bitterness of civil war and segregation. but our history shows us that hatred in the human heart can recede. that the lines between racisms and triumphs can fade away. and what's left is a simple truth. e.pluribus unum. out of many, we are one nation and one people. it has made our union stronger, it has made our country stronger. it's part of what has made america great. we amended our constitution to extend the democratic prinsz is that we hold dear. and i stand today in front of you as president of the most powerful country on earth. and i recognize that once, the color of my skin would have

denideny ed me the right to vote. that should give you some sense that if our country can transcend its differences, then yours can, too. every human being within these borders is a part of your nation's story and you should embrace that. that's not a source of weak nne, it's a source of strength. and that brings me to the final freedom that i'll discuss today. and that is the right of all people to live free from fear. in many ways, foor is the force that stachbds between human beings and their dreams. fear of conflict and the weapons of war, fear of a future that's different from the past. fear of changes that are reordering our societies and our economy. fear of people who look different or come from a different place or worship in a different way.

and some of our darkest moments, she wrote an essay about freedom from fear. fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it. and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it. that's the fear that you can leave behind. we see that chance in leaders who are beginning to understand that power comes from appealing to people eegs hopes. not people's fears. we see in citizens who insist that this time must be different. that this time, change will come and will continue. fear is not the natural state of civilized man. i believe that. and today, you are showing the world that fear does not have to

be the natural state of life in this country. that's why i'm here. and that's why what happens here is so important, not only to this this region, but to the world. you're taking a journey that has the potential to inspire so many people. this is a test of whether a country can transition. to a better place. the united states of america is a pacific nation. as our economy recovers, this is where we believe we'll find enormous growth as we've ended the wars that have dominated our foreign policy for a decade. this region will be a focus for our efforts to build a prosperous peace. here in southeast asia, we see the potential for chl gragss.

as president, i suggest that go beyond the fact that i spent some of my childhood in this region. in indonesia ho. . we see nations that are on the move. we see nations that are growing and democracies that are emerging. progress that's built on the diversity that spans oceans and islands and jungles and cities. people's release. this is what the 21st century should look like if we have the courage to put asood side our differences and move forward. and here, i want to send a message across asia. we need to look forward to the future. to leadership of north korea, i've offered a choice. let go of your nuclear weapons.

if you do, you eelt find an extended hand from the united states of america. in 2012, we don't need to cling to the divisions of north, west, east and south. we welcome the peaceful rise of china and india, your neighbor to the west. if united states won't work with any nation large or small that will contribute to a world that is more peaceful and prosperous and just and more free. the united states will be a friend to any nation that respects the rights of its silt zens. and the spoensbleties of international law. that's the nation -- that's the world that you can start to build. here in this historic city, this nation that's been so isolated can show the world the power of

a new beginning. and demonstrate once again that the journey of democracy goes hand-in-hand with develop. . i say this knowing that there's still countless people in this country who do not enjoy the opportunities that many of you seated here do. there are prisoners of conscience who still await release. there are refugees, in this case, peoples and camps where hope is still something that lies on the distant horizon. today, i say say to you and to everybody who can hear my voice. america is here to support you. we carry your story in your heads in our hopes and in our hearts. with this 21th century spread

06 barriers, the front lines are within nations of individuals not simply bheen them. politics is your job. it's not only for politicians. we have an expression in the united states that the most important office in a democracy is the office of citizen. not president. not speaker. [ applause ] >> so as extraordinary and difficult and challenging and sometimes frustrating as this journey may seen, in the end, you, the citizens of this country, are the ones who must define what freedom means. you are the ones who are going to have to seize freedom because the true revolution of the spirit begins in each of our

hearts. it requires the kind of courage that so many of your leaders have already displayed. the road ahead will be marked by huge challenges. and there will be those who resist the confidence of change. but something is happening in this country that can fwhot be reversed. you will have in the united states of america, a partner on that long journey. so thank you. [ applause ]

president obama there applauding the efforts towards democracy, talking about his promise to extend a hand of friendship by easing sanctions and also supporting reforms. he had recognized all of the democratic efforts made. no human being can truly be imprisoned if hope burns in your hearts. again, president obama speaking there in myammahr. we'll have much more on the president trip throughout the day. for now, we get you back the our regular program. >> we were in an area that was totally outside of the town.

the last house that is invisible is precisely the last house in town. there's nothing beyond that point. there's only a road that links niroto with another town that now doesn't exist anymore, either. after they visit the landslide area two years later, marizio and patritzia are concerned that no repairs have been done. marizio is especially affected since he was born here and still have family. >> translator: sometimes i go back there. it also happens that i go back to that area. i must tell the truth. it upsets me. two years later, i thought something would have been done. nothing has been done and i'm very sorry about that. >> geologists say landslides of this magnitude are somewhat unpredictable. but luckily, everyone survived this one.

coming up, fear strikes tinsel town when an enormous sink hole opens up in the middle of hollywood boulevard. >> when caught on camera "watch

out" continues. an underground construction accident creates a giant sink hole that swallows up a busy street. catching a city by surprise. >> i would have fell right in. >> my staff and i were out on the street going oh this looks like this could be really bad. >> june 22, 1995, hollywood, california.

tinseltown brings to mind the image of big stars, and the iconic hollywood sign. but this disaster is not happening in the hollywood hills or on an expensive sound stage. it's not the glamour part of hollywood. it's more residential. it's more community. >> jackie goldberg is a former los angeles city councilwoman. in 1995 she represents a district where the city is building a subway. some of the constituents are complaining about it. >> we don't need a metro rail as they are proposing it. let's get back to the buses where the people can be moved around properly. >> not only are residents complaining, but so are the business owners. for them it's less about the subway itself than the construction. they're losing money.

>> it takes so long to build these things underground and you don't have much choice but to tear up stleets and close streets. we're putting big signs on the property saying open for business and people were angry. >> so when a water main breaks at the construction site on hollywood boulevard, gold berg holds a press conference to bring attention to the problem. as goldberg stands in front of news cameras, the water main problem gets a lot worse. >> we were actually not far from the actual location that morning. some people were very concerned that a lot of water was being pumped out from the soil. so we had engineers and technical people all explaining that this was going to be fine, and then crack. >> the crack she hears is the sound of the roadway caving into

the tunnel under construction. mud, rocks, dirt and water cascade down into a big hole, exposing sensitive utility pipes. the news crews on site capture the dramatic event as it unfolds. >> my first idea was is anybody injured in the hole. when they heard the crack they all moved away from the street to be sure that nothing was going to happen. >> the crater keeps expanding until it measures 70 feet wide and 70 feet deep. as the hole grows in size, so does goldberg's anxiety. >> we have all the gas company people out there to start shutting off gas lines. you break a water line you get water. you break an electric thing you might get a live wire down. but gas explodes. so we got the gas turned off pretty darn quickly.

that's why there were no explosions in the area. >> the neighboring streets are shut down from traffic. although people in the area are inconvenienced, no one is injured or killed. city and state investigations conclude that the sink hole is caused by the water main break, but there's still debate about whether it was caused by corrosion of the aging vein of triggered by subway construction. >> it was a broken main. not just the pipe but the main. and that water had been coming in for some time. >> yous repair the weert main, fill the hole with concrete and repair the road. in 1999, four years later, the red line stop at hollywood and

western is finally completed. passengers ride the trains and all is well in the city of angels. coming up -- an entire industrial building collapses from heavy snow as employees run for their lives. >> it sounded like a freight train coming. when "caught on camera: watch out" continues.

a huge industrial building collapses under the weight of heavy snow. >> wow. i can't believe this has occurred. >> but the terrifying question is -- >> oh my gosh, is everybody okay? did everyone get out? february 3rd, 2011, easton, massachusetts.

the northeast experiences one of the worst winters in year. snowfall averages in region break records. peter is a reporter for new england cable news. >> it was a horrible winter. i can't remember what the first snow was, but it was probably november. it started snowing. it kept snowing every five days. the snow piled up and piled up and piled up. >> that morning a snow write icy rain is falling. hao and camera man brian butler are sent to cover potential roof collapses all over the county. >> we knew the day before there may be some roof problems because of all the snow on roofs and the added weight of the water and the assignment desk called us. they said there's a building in eastern massachusetts. can you head over that way? we said sure. >> they arrive a few minutes before 11:00 a.m. and are astonished to see the entire building is buckling. >> we had been hearing extraordinary sounds.

just kind of groaning, creeking, the twisting of metal and bricks popping out as the wall falls in. >> hao wonders is there anyone still in the building. the building is the east coast hub of tritan technologies. the chief legal council kathleen dias works at the facility. she hadn't yet arrived but employees called her alarmed by the loud noises the brick building is making. >> somebody described it like a freight train coming, and then the fire alarms went off. it was really people seeing ceiling tiles moving and going that's not normal. >> a supervisor ordered everyone out of their seats and hurries them to an exit. >> luckily we have a sales manager that stood up and

started shouting at people to get out of the building and grabbed people and got their attention and pushed people out the door. >> it's only a few minutes after the last employee leaves that the building starts to fall. >> the wall of the building was bowed and it was slowly falling backwards away from us. >> you could hear glass begin to crack as the strain of the building is on itself. >> probably a 30-foot wall, 30 feet high just slowly leaning back in a bowed position. >> and all of the sudden everything accelerates. and it goes from creek, creek, bang to just the whole thing just falls. it's easily the most extraordinary thing i've been there to witness.

>> tritan loses an office building but no lives. the company credits quick thinking staff with getting everyone out in time. jay nally is tritan's president and ceo. >> we had to do extraordinary things to get everybody out of the building safely. >> some of the employees had the presence of mind to react to it. >> a 100-year-old building collapses in the middle of a busy city. sending firefighters scrambling for safety. >> there's a gut feeling. i knew something would happen. >> may 5th, 1997. new york city. more than 200 firefighters are called to the scene of an

unrelenting blaze in the manhattan garment district. it starts in the basement of a shoe store which is packed to capacity with highly flammable material. the centuries old building has no sprinkler system. >> there were heavy boxes. mostly shoes we think stored up to the ceiling. >> this was one of the commanders overseeing operations that day. >> they went to the staircase inside. there were no exterior openings. so now the officer takes four or five men into the cellar. so first the chief says okay, let's get out of the cellar. >> they are forced to fight the fire from the outside but that has risks.

he is concerned the old building will fot be able to withstand the heat of the fire. >> we have 500 gallons a minute at these locations. >> the city's buildings department tells norm that the structure is stable because there aren't any cracks or bulges in the walls but he doesn't take any chances and establishes a wide perimeter or collapse zone around it. >> we move those trucks and the hose lines away from the building to the opposite side of the street. firefighters are also repotioned across the street and continue their efforts to fight the blaze. norm's instincts are right. after nine hours of fire and thousands of gallons of water pumped in, the walls suddenly give way, raining bricks and debris hon the streets below. the initial sound to me was like a crack.

then a rumble. you could see the interior collapsed. >> residents are grateful there are no fatal fatalities. >> your life is gone. everything that you had. everything is just gone. >> for chief norum the collapse emphasizes an important caution, there are often hidden hazards behind the fire and smoke. >> it's very, very important that people in the area, especially firefighters and others know that the dangers don't subside after fire is brought under control.