Florida Bridge Collapse Caused By Stress Test?

The pedestrian bridge under construction near Florida International University collapsed Thursday, months before it was to open, crushing cars below, killing at least six people. Investigators have now figured out the cause.  Authorities said Friday that the cables suspending a pedestrian bridge were being tightened after a “stress test” when the 950-ton concrete span collapsed on the traffic below. The $14.2 million project was supposed to be a hallmark of the faster, cheaper and less risky method of bridge-building promoted by the university. Slated to open in 2019, it would have provided safe passage over a canal and six lanes of traffic, and created a showpiece architectural feature connecting the FIU campus and the community of Sweetwater, where many students live. On March 30, 2017, a bridge collapsed on Interstate 85 (I-85) in Atlanta, Georgia, after a massive fire. Three individuals were arrested for starting the blaze.

In a letter, Senator Bill Nelson of Florida asked the U.S. Department of Transportation to turn over all records related to the engineering, design, construction, safety and inspection of the project, which spanned a major road next to the campus of Florida International University (FIU). “If anyone dropped the ball and it contributed to this tragedy, then they should be held accountable.” At least 10 people were taken to hospitals, two remained in critical condition on Friday, reported local sources. Emergency crews on Friday shifted their focus from a rescue mission to the “very slow process” of digging through the rubble for more victims and preserving evidence around the unstable structure. One of the bridges contractors, MCM, was accused of substandard work in a lawsuit filed this month by a worker injured when a makeshift bridge MCM built at Fort Lauderdale International Airport collapsed under his weight. A review of OSHA records, meanwhile, shows MCM has been fined for 11 safety violations in the past five years totaling more than $50,000 after complaints involving its Florida work sites.