The engineering company responsible for the design of the pedestrian bridge that collapsed at Florida International University is “stunned.”
Following the collapse of a newly-constructed pedestrian bridge on the campus of a Florida university, FIGG Engineering, the company who designed the bridge, released the following statement, offering their condolences for the lives lost.
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“We are stunned by today’s tragic collapse of a pedestrian bridge that was under construction over Southwest Eighth Street in Miami. Our deepest sympathies are with all those affected by this accident. 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. Our entire team mourns the loss of life and injuries associated with this devastating tragedy, and our prayers go out to all involved,” FIGG Engineering said in a statement.
On Thursday, a section of the 950-ton pedestrian walkway, touted by the university as a “first of its kind,” collapsed on top of several cars, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries.
The busy road beneath has since been closed as rescuers work tirelessly to free any survivors from the rubble. News helicopters have also been asked to steer clear of the area to allow rescuers to hear any sounds from those still trapped.
Just days before the deadly collapse, BDI, the company responsible for the “structural monitoring” of the bridge tweeted a photo of the walkway, captioning it, “We are thrilled to have performed structural monitoring during a spectacular bridge move by [Barnhart Crane] at [Florida International University, Miami]. Congratulations to [Barnhart Crane] on a job well done, we always appreciate being part of the team!”
The company deleted the tweet following news of the collapse.
According to an FIU press release, the 950-ton bridge was 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.”
The street that the bridge stretches over, 8th Street, is a high-traffic road that runs from downtown Miami and west to the Everglades.
It had reportedly been requested by those at the university so pedestrians could avoid the busy traffic of the street below, where a student had been struck by a car and killed in August 2017.
