Multiple people died and cars were trapped after a pedestrian bridge collapsed onto a busy highway in Miami, Florida on Thursday.
The 950-ton pedestrian bridge is still under construction. It is intended to provide students at the Florida International University (FIU) a safe way across the busy highway.
On Saturday, crews assembled and moved the pedestrian bridge in place. The local community witnessed the work with excitement. The nearly 200 feet span foot bridge is expected to the public next year.
According to witnesses, workers were on the bridge when it collapsed. The total number of fatalities is still unknown. Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Alejandro Camacho told CBS that there were “several fatalities.”
At least ten people were injured and taken to the hospitals. At least six cars were trapped and crushed under the walkway, according to Miami-Dade County police and fire rescue. The county’s Police Chief Juan Perez believed multiple people were trapped under rubble.
Jacob Miller, a senior at FIU, who witnessed the incident, told AP News, “I saw there were multiple cars crushed under the bridge. It was just terrible. I saw some people stopping their cars, trying to get out, trying to assess the situation to see if there is anything they could do to help.”
Florida bridge contractor will conduct full investigation
In a statement, Munilla Construction Management (MCM), the contractor of the pedestrian bridge, offered prayers to the victims.
