Incomplete bridge collapses at Florida International University in Miami - TomoNews
- 6 years ago
MIAMI, FLORIDA — A newly installed pedestrian bridge collapsed on Florida International University's campus Thursday afternoon.
The collapse occurred at about 1:30 p.m., and as of 5:00 p.m., at least eight vehicles were flattened and trapped under the collapsed bridge.
According to authorities, at least nine people who had been pulled out of the rubble were immediately hospitalised, four people sadly did not make it, including a student from Florida International University.
Florida state governor Rick Scott said that the state would do its best to determine the cause of the collapse.
FIU had claimed the $14.2 million cable-supported bridge was an innovation as the construction techniques used were intended to expedite the work and minimize disruption of traffic.
The project was a collaboration between MCM construction and FIGG Bridge Design.
Florida senator Marco Rubio tweeted that: "The cables that suspend the Miami bridge had loosened & the engineering firm ordered that they be tightened. They were being tightened when it collapsed today."
The 950-ton bridge was supposed to open to foot traffic in 2019. It was designed to connect the school to the Sweetwater neighborhood, home to more than 4,000 FIU students.
The collapse occurred at about 1:30 p.m., and as of 5:00 p.m., at least eight vehicles were flattened and trapped under the collapsed bridge.
According to authorities, at least nine people who had been pulled out of the rubble were immediately hospitalised, four people sadly did not make it, including a student from Florida International University.
Florida state governor Rick Scott said that the state would do its best to determine the cause of the collapse.
FIU had claimed the $14.2 million cable-supported bridge was an innovation as the construction techniques used were intended to expedite the work and minimize disruption of traffic.
The project was a collaboration between MCM construction and FIGG Bridge Design.
Florida senator Marco Rubio tweeted that: "The cables that suspend the Miami bridge had loosened & the engineering firm ordered that they be tightened. They were being tightened when it collapsed today."
The 950-ton bridge was supposed to open to foot traffic in 2019. It was designed to connect the school to the Sweetwater neighborhood, home to more than 4,000 FIU students.