Living just a couple of blocks away from FIU (Florida international University) we were very aware of this new crossing bridge that was the largest of its kind and being made to make the crossing of the SW 8th street and 109 ave intersection safer. Three students have lost their lives crossing that intersection and they decided it was time for a change. The “Hurricane Proof” crossing bridge was built on-site and hoisted up into place on Saturday of the previous week.
Little did we know after crossing under that bridge countless times that the devastation it was about to release would be life-changing. On 1:30pm Thursday March 15, 2018 the newly built FIU crossing bridge collapsed under its own weight. The bridge was still under construction and not open to the public for crossing when the contractors decided to conduct a “stress test” on the structure. They failed to follow the commands of safety first and DID NOT stop traffic under the bridge when conducting the test. Later we found out on radio chatter that FIU was responsible for hiring an inspection company that was STATE LICENSED AND CERTIFIED to approve the structure since it was the only of its kind here in Southwest Miami Dade. The company was not licensed, let alone state certified. This is a fact and not opinion. Let that sink in.
Crews were still out at midnight with rescue dogs searching for missing people.
The unimaginable happened. The bridge collapsed in its entirety crushing eight cards under its 950 tons. Among those cars was a white Chevy truck that was crushed like a can and was sticking out just enough to see that the body inside had been crushed too. This truck was searched by Crime Scene Investigators and covered with the ominous yellow tarp. We all bowed out heads in silence as this was he last car to be covered tonight at around 10:30pm. There were over 100 first responders but unfortunately there was no human capacity to be able to get under the bridge or the machinery to lift it. As the turn of the hour approached cadaver dogs were released under the bridge and into the rubble where they went absolutely crazy confirming the one question every had “Are there still bodies under there?”. Also pictured within is a rather haunting photo of a grey car with none other than a stream of red “Liquid” running from underneath the bridge. The driver of that car verified that there was a car right in front of them that was engulfed in the rubble and she feared the worst of this “liquid”. We will leave the speculation to all of you who view the pictures on your own account. Being there first hand was daunting. The noise, the car horns, the screams and the calls being placed to loved ones from drivers or passengers that were able to get out but unable to assist the others that were trapped with them in the cars. Prayers are needed because there is no human entity that could make any good of this situation. May rest and peace be with the families of today’s Southwest Miami Dade tragedy.
A car stands crushed under the weight of 950 metric tons of concrete and steel after the collapse of a pedestrian bridge at FIU in Miami.
