FATAL BRIDGE FAILURE
Pedestrian span just built near a university falls onto highway.
Rescue workers search for survivors after a pedestrian bridge collapsed onto a busy highway at Florida International University in Miami. At least four people were killed as slabs of concrete crushed vehicles.
MIAMI — Just five days after it was installed, but not yet open to the public, a 950ton pedestrian bridge at Miami’s Florida International University collapsed onto a busy highway Thursday afternoon, killing at least four people, fire officials said.
Eight vehicles were trapped beneath the fallen concrete and nine victims were pulled from the debris, fire officials said. The victims’ conditions were not released by authorities.
Search-and-rescue workers raced to find survivors who might be buried in the rubble, drilling into the debris and using search dogs and special microphones. A doctor reported that his hospital treated 10 people injured in the collapse, two with critical injuries.
“The main focus is to rescue people,” said MiamiDade Police Director Juan Perez.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Division Chief Paul Estopinan said at a news conference Thursday afternoon that officials could not say how many people might be trapped in the debris. “I can assure you that our teams are still in rescue-andsearch mode … to try to locate any viable patients.”
Estopinan said more than 100 technicians would work overnight to move aside concrete in their search. Cranes, bulldozers and other heavy equipment were moved to the scene. The National Transportation Safety Board said it would send investigators to inspect the failed bridge.
“We’re working our way into the pile to create holes so we can physically see,” Estopinan said.
Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez said on Twitter that he was “actively monitoring this tragic situation” while abroad on business. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the people affected by this tragedy and with the first responders who are on the scene,” Gimenez said.
Florida International University has a student body of about 54,000, the school’s website says. Students are on spring break this week. The school set up a center on campus for family and friends of the victims.
The 950-ton, 174-foot pedestrian bridge was assembled by the side of the highway and moved into place Saturday to great fanfare. The $14.2-million span connected the university campus and the city of Sweetwater. Though it stands above a busy eight-lane highway, it was not yet open to foot traffic.
“We have a national tragedy on our hands with the collapse of this bridge,” Sweetwater Mayor Orlando Lopez said.
In a statement, the university said, “We are shocked and saddened about the tragic events unfolding at the FIU-Sweetwater pedestrian bridge.”
The span was built by MCM and designed by FIGG Bridge Engineers, according to the university.
It was built as a “rapid span installation,” in which the bridge was prefabricated, then swung into place before its central support tower was built. On Thursday, all that remained standing were the pillars on the south side of the bridge.
FIGG Bridge Engineers said in a news release that it was “stunned by today’s tragic collapse” and that “our deepest sympathies are with all those affected by this accident.” The firm said that in its 40-year history, “nothing like this has ever happened before. Our entire team mourns the loss of life and injuries associated with this devastating tragedy.”
U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.), who represents the area, said he was “extremely disconcerted” by the collapse.
“As soon as the immediate needs have been met, we need to get to the bottom of what happened today and ensure that it never happens again,” Curbelo said.