At least 6 people killed in pedestrian bridge collapse at university in Florida
Mar 15, 2018, 11:38 AM | Updated: Mar 16, 2018, 5:46 am
(Twitter Photo/@GabrielaRose12)
(Twitter Photo/@GabrielaRose12)
A brand-new pedestrian bridge collapsed onto a highway at a Miami-area college on Thursday, killing at least six people and injuring multiple others.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue tweeted that “multiple” people were injured when the Florida International University bridge fell.
The bridge under construction was expected to open to foot traffic next year.
Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Alejandro Camacho told CBS News earlier that there were “several fatalities.”
Gov. Rick Scott tweeted that he had spoken with Miami-Dade County Police Chief Juan Perez about the bridge collapse at Florida International University.
“I will be in constant communication with law enforcement throughout the day,” the governor said.
The 950-ton span was installed on Saturday. The main part of the 174-foot span was assembled by the side of the road while support towers were built at either end.
“FIU is about building bridges and student safety. This project accomplishes our mission beautifully,” FIU President Mark B. Rosenberg said in the statement Saturday.
Firetrucks, police and other emergency vehicles were at the scene.
#MDFRUpdate: #MDFRTRT is currently securing the structure while continuing to search for patients.
— MDFR (@MiamiDadeFire) March 15, 2018
The $14.2 million bridge crossed over a busy seven lane road that divided the university’s campus from the city of Sweetwater.
In a statement, the school said it was “shocked and saddened” about the event and was working with first responders to rescue people.
A now-deleted fact sheet on the bridge said it should have been able to withstand a Category 5 hurricane and last for more than 100 years.
MCM, the Miami-based construction management firm who won the bridge contract, took its website down on Thursday. But an archived version of the website featured a news release touting the project.
“This our first Design-Build with FIGG Bridge Engineers, a nationally acclaimed, award-winning firm based out of Tallahassee. FIGG has designed iconic bridges all over the country, including Boston’s famous Leonard P. Zakim Bridge and Florida’s Sunshine Skyway Bridge.”
A message left at FIGG’s office in Tallahassee was not immediately returned.
President Donald Trump issued a statement of condolences on Twitter.
Continuing to monitor the heartbreaking bridge collapse at FIU – so tragic. Many brave First Responders rushed in to save lives. Thank you for your courage. Praying this evening for all who are affected.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 15, 2018
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, who spoke at a ceremony celebrating the construction over the weekend, told CBS there were going to be a lot of questions that have to be answered about what happened.
“Right now the most important thing is going to be to save people who are hopefully still alive,” he said.
Florida International University is the second-largest university in the state, with 55,000 students. Most of its students live off-campus and the bridge was supposed to be a safe way to cross a busy street and a plaza-like public space with seating where people could gather.
In August 2017, a university student was killed crossing the road that the bridge was supposed to span.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
