Florida bridge collapse causes fatalities and crushed vehicles

A recently installed pedestrian bridge spanning numerous lanes of traffic collapsed on Thursday at Florida International University (FIU). The incident resulted in multiple fatalities.

Eight vehicles were crushed and nine people were taken to the hospital, the ABC reports. Rescue efforts continued with emergency personnel drilling holes in debris to see if there were people trapped beneath the rubble.

There were reports of workers on the bridge before it collapsed. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Division chief Paul Estopinan has confirmed that emergency workers made some "surface rescues.” The Miami TV station reports that police had requested television helicopters to leave the area so rescuers could hear sounds of people from beneath the collapsed structure.

Miami-based construction company Munilla Construction Management (MCM), which built the bridge, took to Twitter to explain that the structured "experienced a catastrophic collapse.” The company has vowed full cooperation with the investigation.

FIU president Mark Rosenberg released a statement saying he was "heartbroken at the news of the collapse.” He said they are working with the appropriate agencies to assist in rescue efforts.

Florida Governor Rick Scott said he will be in constant communication with law enforcement. Local Florida politician Mario Diaz-Balart told CBS that there are going to be a lot of questions that need answers, but that the most important thing right now is to save people.

A press release from the university says that the “174-foot, 950-ton section of the bridge was built adjacent to Southwest Eight Street using Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) methods, which are being advanced at FIU's Accelerated Bridge Construction University Transportation Center.” The “accelerated bridge construction" method was supposed to reduce risks to both pedestrians and workers.

The bridge was installed last week in six hours over the eight-lane highway. It connects FIU, the second-largest university in the state, with Sweetwater city. A Twitter post about the bridge says that it was the first in the world to be constructed entirely with "self-cleaning concrete."

US President Donald Trump has been made aware of the incident, according to White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders, who said in a news briefing that first responders are working feverishly to save lives.

FIU reportedly has 55,000 students. Most of them live off-campus and were on spring break when the bridge collapsed.