(CNN) At least four people died Thursday when a pedestrian bridge collapsed near Florida International University, Miami-Dade County Fire Chief Dave Downey said.
At least eight cars were crushed under the bridge and at least nine people were transported to hospitals for treatment, authorities said.
"The most important thing we can do right now is pray for the individuals who ended up in the hospital, for their full recovery, and pray for the family members who lost loved ones," Florida Gov. Rick Scott said Thursday night.
Scott said the state would do its best to determine if any wrongdoing led to the collapse and, if so, that people would be held accountable.
The bridge's span was just installed Saturday, an effort to boost safety on a busy street where an FIU student was fatally struck by a vehicle last year.
It is unclear why the bridge, which was still under construction, collapsed onto a busy state highway.
Latest developments
• Downey said the four deceased victims were located but have not been identified.
• Florida International University president Mark Rosenberg said the university followed all the processes required during the building of the bridge, and all contractors are certified by the state.
• Searchers are still looking for victims, although officials don't know if anyone is trapped alive in the rubble.
• Dr. Mark G. McKenney, trauma medical director at Kendall Regional Medical Center, said his staff received 10 patients, including two who are in critical condition. One patient with severe extremity injuries arrived in a coma, McKenney said.
Photos: Photos from the scene: Pedestrian bridge collapses in Miami Emergency personnel respond to a deadly bridge collapse in Miami on Thursday, March 15. The bridge was installed Saturday at Florida International University. Hide Caption 1 of 7 Photos: Photos from the scene: Pedestrian bridge collapses in Miami Rescue teams were looking for victims among cars trapped in the rubble. At least one person died as a result of the collapse, Mayor Carlos Gimenez told CNN affiliate WFOR during a live phone interview. Hide Caption 2 of 7 Photos: Photos from the scene: Pedestrian bridge collapses in Miami Multiple agencies responded to the scene. A spokeswoman with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue told CNN there were multiple injuries. Hide Caption 3 of 7 Photos: Photos from the scene: Pedestrian bridge collapses in Miami Candace Pridemore took this photo of the collapsed bridge. "I was sitting in a truck," she said. "We were pulled over to the side working. I looked over and there was a bridge coming down. I started screaming, 'It's going, it's going down.' " Hide Caption 4 of 7 Photos: Photos from the scene: Pedestrian bridge collapses in Miami Police block a road near the collapsed bridge. Hide Caption 5 of 7 Photos: Photos from the scene: Pedestrian bridge collapses in Miami According to a fact sheet about the bridge on FIU's website, it cost $14.2 million to build and was funded as part of a $19.4 million grant from the US Department of Transportation. It was designed to withstand the strength of a Category 5 hurricane, the fact sheet said, and it was supposed to last for more than 100 years. Hide Caption 6 of 7 Photos: Photos from the scene: Pedestrian bridge collapses in Miami Emergency personnel work at the scene. Hide Caption 7 of 7
Victims were trapped in cars beneath the rubble
"We heard a loud bang behind us ... and we looked back and the bridge had completely collapsed," said Isabella Carrasco, a student at the University of Miami, who had just passed underneath the bridge in a car. Doctors and medical students ran to the scene from a nearby building and started giving medical attention to victims, she said.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott was briefed on the incident by Perez, according to a schedule released by his office. He will be on the school's campus this evening to speak with local law enforcement and university officials, his office said.
The new FIU bridge just collapsed A post shared by Rick Jo (@ricky_ricon_riquisimo) on Mar 15, 2018 at 11:05am PDT
Carrasco said she saw at least five or six cars completely crushed beneath the bridge.
"Someone on the side of the road had asked a police officer if she had heard any response from the people inside the car," Carrasco said, "and she shook her head and said no."
Ricardo Dejo, an FIU civil engineering student, told CNN he saw cars pinned beneath the bridge. "I can't describe it," Dejo said. "We were really excited about the bridge (before the crash). Everything looked fine. I went underneath it with my own car and it looked great."
Bridge was still under construction
In a statement, the university said it was "shocked and saddened about the tragic events unfolding at the FIU-Sweetwater pedestrian bridge."
"At this time we are still involved in rescue efforts and gathering information," the statement continued. "We are working closely with authorities and first responders on the scene."
According to a fact sheet about the bridge on FIU's website, it cost $14.2 million to build and was funded as part of a $19.4 million grant from the US Department of Transportation. It was designed to withstand the strength of a Category 5 hurricane , the fact sheet said, and was supposed to last for more than 100 years.
The bridge was supposed to open to foot traffic and cyclists in 2019.
"Our family's thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by this terrible tragedy," MCM, one of the companies that was contributing to the construction of the bridge, said in a statement. "The new University City Bridge, which was under construction, experienced a catastrophic collapse causing injuries and loss of life."
The statement added that MCM, which is based in Miami, would "conduct a full investigation to determine exactly what went wrong and will cooperate with investigators on scene in every way."
The company is also dealing with a lawsuit filed by a TSA employee, who claims a "makeshift" bridge for employees at an MCM construction area at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport collapsed under his weight, severely injuring him.
Another company involved, FIGG Bridge Engineers, which designed the pedestrian bridge, said in a statement that it was "stunned" by the collapse.
"Our deepest sympathies are with all those affected by this accident," the FIGG statement said. "We will fully cooperate with every appropriate authority in reviewing what happened and why. In our 40-year history, nothing like this has ever happened before." FIGG is based in Tallahassee.
Bolton Perez and Associates, a third company involved in the construction of the bridge, is not commenting at this time.
BDI Engineering, a Colorado-based company, said it provided structural monitoring as the bridge span was put into place Saturday but added later that none of its personnel were at the scene on Thursday.
The company, which tweeted a video Saturday of the move and later took down the post, said it had "removed comments from our social media accounts out of respect for the individuals and families that have been affected by the collapse."
Its tweet on Saturday said that the firm was "thrilled to have performed structural monitoring during a spectacular bridge move."
Time-saving technology used to build the bridge
A statement from the university said that Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) technology was used in the construction of the pedestrian bridge.
ABC streamlines the building process so bridge construction projects can be completed quicker and be more cost-efficient. State Departments of Transportation use ABC technology to refurbish or construct bridges within 48 to 72 hours, according to the Federal Highway Administration (FHA).
By accelerating the time it takes to build the bridge, traffic delays and road closures can be reduced. It's also credited for safer work zones, less environmental impact, reduced weather-related delays and bridges that are more durable than those constructed using traditional methods, according to the FHA.
The 950-ton bridge was meant to connect the school's campus to the Sweetwater neighborhood, home to more than 4,000 FIU students, according to a press release on the school's website
This March 10 photo shows the main span of the pedestrian bridge meant to connect Sweetwater to the FIU campus.
Jorge Munilla, president of MCM, told CNN affiliate WSVN on March 10 the bridge's construction was the realization of a dream. Munilla spoke as the bridge's span was installed over the street.
"Now that dream is becoming reality," he said. "The reality is, what makes this job so unique is that we built this bridge on the FIU campus over the last 6 to 7 months."
A National Transportation Safety Board team of 15 investigators is in Miami and will lead the federal inquiry.
A newly installed bridge touted as a feat of engineering collapsed on Florida International University's campus Thursday, killing at least four people.
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Aerial footage showed first responders tending to victims at the scene, searching for people in the rubble and loading others on stretchers into ambulances.
Firefighters pulled out at least four deceased people from the rubble, Miami-Dade Fire Chief Dave Downey said at an evening press conference. Recovery efforts were underway as of late Thursday, according to Miami-Dade County police.
Thank you first responders who assisted in the rescue efforts at the collapsed crossing bridge. Your efforts were valiant despite the final outcome. @MiamiDadePD will now begin the recovery of victims and investigation. We will get to the truth for the sake of the family. — Juan Perez (@JPerezMDPD) March 16, 2018
Cristobal Herrera/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock
The collapse occurred at about 1:30 p.m., Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Division Chief Paul Estopinan said in a press conference Thursday afternoon.
As of 5 p.m., a minimum of eight vehicles were trapped under the rubble, Estopinan said. Some workers were on the bridge when it collapsed, but officials did not detail whether any of them were among the dead.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Ten injured victims, labeled as level-one trauma patients, were transported to nearby Kendall Regional Medical Center, program director Dr. Mark McKenney said in a press conference.
One of the patients was in cardiac arrest and another was in a coma with "severe extremity injuries" when they arrived, McKenney said. Those patients were in critical condition.
Eight other patients admitted to the hospital suffered from traumatic injuries such as bruises, abrasions and broken bones but were in stable condition, McKenney said.
The victims' ages ranged from 20 to 50 years old, McKenney said. Additional patients are believed to have been admitted to other area hospitals as well.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
More than 100 firefighters were on the scene working to find victims with the help of cranes and search dogs, and officials were working to stabilize the bridge. Their efforts are expected to be "long and arduous last well into the night, officials said.
One first responder, who owns a business across the street from the scene, worked on a victim for 15 minutes to keep him or her alive, said Orlando Lopez, mayor of the city of Sweetwater.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
WPLG
Witness Suzy Bermudez told ABC News that she was sitting in traffic when she saw the bridge collapse from the left and then toward the middle.
Bermudez then jumped out of her car to run and help before she saw car lights that were smashed so badly there were almost hitting the ground.
One woman survived because her car was smashed on the rear, so Bermudez and others were able to pull her out, she said.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
FIU student Aleia Stillwell told ABC News that she was in her car when the structure fell in front of her.
The collapse sounded like thunder as the pieces of the bridge fell, she said.
Stillwell thanked God that she was driving slower than usual, adding that it could have been her under that bridge.
Roberto Koltun/The Miami Herald via AP
Another driver, Jonathan Munoz-Conway, described the scene to ABC News as surreal and terrifying, adding that he had just driven under the bridge about 30 seconds before it collapsed.
Munoz-Conway said that after he drove past, he turned right into a parking garage next to the bridge. He then heard a loud bang and assumed he had hit something with his car before he heard a girl scream and saw police officers rushing to the scene.
Cristobal Herrera/EPA via Shutterstock
Witness Tiona Page told ABC News that the screams coming from the cars were "terrifying."
"As soon as I looked outside, I saw dust flying everywhere," she said. "I knew the bridge had collapsed." Bystanders rushed in to help those trapped, but struggled to dig through the rubble.
It was not immediately clear what led to the collapse.
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magno.meza/Instagram
The street that the bridge stretches over, Southwest Eighth Street, is a busy seven-lane road that runs from downtown Miami all the way to the Everglades. Students and faculty had been calling for a bridge at the crossing of 8th Street and 109th Street, where pedestrians were required to cross through heavy traffic, The Miami Herald reported.
The bridge was supposed to be iconic for the city, Lopez said.
ABC News
AP
A section of 8th Street was closed over the weekend to allow workers to position the 174-foot bridge, according to PantherNOW, a university newspaper.
First-of-its-kind pedestrian bridge “swings” into place. “FIU is about building bridges and student safety. This project accomplishes our mission beautifully,” -President Mark B. Rosenberg. https://t.co/x8gPM9A4DG #worldsahead pic.twitter.com/mPEMeh2zmw — FIU (@FIU) March 10, 2018
FIU touted the bridge to be one of the first of its kind, tweeting that it was swung into place on Saturday.
The company that moved the bridge into place, Barnhart Crane & Rigging, said in a statement that it was only contracted to move the bridge and was not involved with the design or construction of the bridge.
"Our scope of work was completed without incident and according to all technical requirements," the company said, adding that it would cooperate with investigators and offering condolences to the victims.
In a statement, the university said it was "shocked and saddened about the tragic events unfolding on campus."
FIU President Mark Rosenberg expressed his "immense sadness" toward the victims and their families and lamented over the failed project in a press conference Thursday evening.
"Five days ago we were celebrating that it was in the process of being erected," Rosenberg said of the bridge. "This bridge was about collaboration. It was about hope. It was about opportunity. It was about determination. The bridge was about strength and unity."
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According to an FIU press release, the 174-foot, 950-ton bridge was just installed "in a few hours" using "accelerated bridge construction" methods, which the university said "reduces potential risks to workers, commuters, and pedestrians and minimizes traffic interruptions."
An engineering company performed a stress test on the bridge Thursday morning, Ralph Ventura, deputy city manager and chief of staff of Sweetwater, told ABC News. It is unclear whether the test was ongoing or had been completed before the collapse.
AP
While there are "a number of reasons why a bridge might fail," that hazard is increased for any new engineering structure, Hiba Baroud, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Vanderbilt University, told ABC News.
"Any problem related to the beginning life of a structure is related to its quality, whereas the reliability of a structure is maintaining that quality over time," she said.
The NTSB is launching an investigation into the collapse. A team of 15 specialists -- including civil engineering, material science and survival factor experts -- is expected to arrive in Miami tonight and will begin their investigation in the morning, NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt said in a press conference.
When asked by a reporter whether he was aware of any issues with this type of bridge in the past, Sumwalt replied, "To my knowledge, no."
WSVN
The bridge was not a Florida Department of Transportation project, and the designer, contractor and the construction engineering and inspection are all under contract with the university, the Florida DOT said.
Figg Engineering designed the project, and the Munilla Construction Management both built and installed the structure, according to the Florida DOT. Bolton Perez and Associates handled the construction engineering and inspection, the agency added.
An independent, secondary design check was required due to the unique characteristics of the design of the bridge, according to the Florida DOT. FIU was responsible for selecting the firm used to conduct the review, but the firm they chose, Louis Berger, was not pre-qualified by the Florida DOT for the service, "which is required under FIU's agreement with the state," the agency said.
ABC News has reached out to Louis Berger for comment.
Rosenberg told reporters that all of the contractors were vetted, especially since federal funds were used in the project. He added that he found the testing that was being done to be satisfactory.
Munilla Construction Management said in a statement that it will conduct a "full investigation to determine exactly what went wrong" and that it will cooperate with investigators on the scene "in every way."
"The new UniversityCity Bridge, which was under construction, experienced a catastrophic collapse causing injuries and loss of life," the company said. "MCM is a family business and we are all devastated and doing everything we can to assist."
Another company that took part in the bridge's construction, FIGG Engineering, said in a statement that it was "stunned" and that "nothing like this has ever happened before" in its 40-year history.
"Our deepest sympathies are with all those affected by this accident," the company said. "We will fully cooperate with every appropriate authority in reviewing what happened and why."
The bridge was scheduled to be fully completed in January 2019, PantherNOW reported. It cost a total of $14.2 million, largely funded by an $11.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, a DOT spokesperson told ABC News.
Florida Senator Marco Rubio described the incident as "troubling and tragic," adding that it affects him personally because he has been an adjunct professor for the university for 10 years.
"Ironically, it's a project for safety" that was constructed after a student died last year crossing that intersection, Rubio said during an evening press conference.
Terrible news coming from Miami as a pedestrian bridge has collapsed at @FIU and multiple deaths are reported. We will pray for the victims and the entire Panther community. — Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) March 15, 2018
Florida Gov. Rick Scott said in a press conference Thursday that he would "hold anybody accountable" culpable of wrongdoing during the conception and construction of the bridge.
I have directed the Florida Highway Patrol to offer resources to aid local law enforcement’s response in Miami. They will be offering additional troopers to aid in search and rescue as well as traffic control. @FLHSMV — Rick Scott (@FLGovScott) March 16, 2018
Miami Mayor Carlos Gimenez released a statement saying he is "actively monitoring" the "tragic situation" from abroad. He has dispatched Deputy Mayor Maurice Kemp to the scene, he said.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the people affected by this tragedy and with the first responders who are on the scene," Gimenez said.
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FIU is one of the 10 largest universities in the country, with nearly 54,000 students enrolled, according to its website.
ABC News' Jeff Cook, Erin Dooley, Rachel Katz, Meghan Keneally, Dominick Proto, Darren Reynolds, Emily Shapiro, Ben Stein and Daniel Steinberger contributed to this report.
Four people have been killed after a newly installed pedestrian bridge collapsed on Thursday at Florida International University in the Miami area, crushing at least five vehicles.
The 950-ton span fell directly on to a busy roadway at the university’s main Miami-area campus. Video shows vehicles underneath the bridge were hit.
At a news briefing Thursday evening, the Miami-Dade County fire chief said four had been found deceased at the scene by first responders. Nine victims were removed “early on” and taken to hospitals, Dave Downey added, but did not elaborate on their conditions.
Florida’s governor, Rick Scott, also spoke to reporters, saying: “Everybody is working hard to make sure we rescue anyone who can be rescued.” The governor added that an investigation would get to the bottom of “why this happened and what happened” and that anyone found responsible would be held accountable.
Dr Mark McKenney, the chief surgeon at Kendall regional medical centre’s trauma unit, said his hospital received 10 patients, two of whom he said remained in “an extremely critical condition” on Thursday evening, one with significant head and chest injuries and one in a coma.
Munilla Construction Management, which installed the bridge, said in a statement that the bridge suffered a “catastrophic collapse, causing injuries and loss of life”.
There were unconfirmed reports that workers were conducting a stress test on the bridge when it collapsed, and the Miami-Dade police chief, Juan Perez, said construction workers were believed to have been on top of the structure at the time.
The bridge connects the university with the city of Sweetwater and was installed on Saturday in six hours over the eight-lane highway, according to a story that was posted on the university’s website. It was 174ft (53 meters) long and weighed 950 tons.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Vehicles are seen trapped under the collapsed pedestrian bridge. Photograph: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
The bridge was intended to provide a walkway over Southwest Eighth Street, one of the busiest roads in south Florida. An 18-year-old FIU student from San Diego was killed while trying to cross the street near campus last August, according to local media reports.
The White House press secretary, Sarah Sanders, said Donald Trump was aware of the collapse. “Our brave first responders are working feverishly to save lives,” she said at a news briefing.
The National Transportation Safety Board said on Twitter that it was sending a team to investigate the bridge collapse.
One witness on Thursday, speaking on CNN, said she heard “a loud bang” behind her just after she and her boyfriend had driven under the bridge and made a right turn into the FIU campus.
“We thought maybe someone had hit us. We looked back and the bridge had completely collapsed,” Isabella Carrasco said.
“We got out of the car. We saw police helping people, there was a construction worker injured at the side of the road. The cars were completely crushed, a lot of debris everywhere. One woman luckily made it out alive – it crushed the back of her car. She rolled forward and was able to get out.”
A statement from FIU addressed to “members of the university community”, while the rescue operation was still under way, said: “We are shocked and saddened about the tragic events unfolding at the FIU-Sweetwater pedestrian bridge.”
Facebook Twitter Pinterest View of the main span of the FIU-Sweetwater University City Bridge which collapsed five days after been installed. Photograph: Miami Herald/TNS/Sipa USA/Rex/Shutterstock
Another witness, Jonathan Munoz, a student, said he and a professor ran over after the collapse and saw “a scene of chaos”.
“I heard people were screaming. I thought it was a car accident,” Munoz told CNN. “This intersection is very busy. There have been fatalities from students being struck; that’s why they built the bridge.
“There were doctors from the medical school on campus who came over in their white coats, figuring out who they could immediately get to. There were police and construction workers. It was a chaotic scene. No one knew exactly what to do.”
According to the Miami Herald, construction crews had spent several months erecting support towers on either side of the roadway, and cranes lifted the walkway into place on Saturday morning.
The $14.2m project was funded by the US Department of Transportation.
