First Lady Laura Bush arrived in Minneapolis Friday to meet with victims, first responders and tour the damage in the aftermath of Wednesday's Interstate 35W bridge collapse over the Mississippi River.

Bush was greeted by Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and his wife, Mary, as well as various state and city officials upon her arrival in the state at approximately 10:30 a.m. CDT.

She spent about 35 minutes meeting touring the collapse area, and met with first responders at the American Red Cross center on the site.

"I know it was hard for you, psychologically, to watch (the tragedy unfold), so I thank you very, very much," Bush told the workers.

Bush, did however, also note the "good stories" that came out of catastrophe. She said that the workers' efforts "lifts people and it really encourages people."

"Her heart went out for all the great compassionate work that was going on," Ted Canova, the American Red Cross' chief communications officer, told CNN.

Bush was also expected to visit with victims' families during her stay.

Bush's trip to town was already in the works, as she was previously scheduled to meet with the Republican National Committee Summer Meeting and the Fourth Regional Conference on Helping America's Youth.

President George W. Bush is due in Minnesota Saturday. He expressed his condolences to the victims of the collapse at a news conference in the White House Rose Garden Thursday, and said that the federal government would move fast in getting the bridge rebuilt.

Five people have been confirmed dead in the aftermath of the collapse, which happened at the tail end of rush hour just after 6 p.m. Wednesday. Swift currents kept divers and other recovery personnel from searching for missing victims in the river Thursday.

At one point up, to 20 people were thought to be missing after the collapse. But Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek said that the number of missing people has been downgraded to eight.

Divers will be able to go back in the river Friday to continue the recovery mission, Stanek said.