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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
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Several Fatalities Reported After Bridge Collapse in Miami

Multiple people have been killed and eight people have been taken to the hospital after a new pedestrian bridge collapsed onto a highway at a Miami-area college Thursday, crushing at least eight vehicles.

MIAMI (CN) - Multiple people have been killed and eight people have been taken to the hospital after a new pedestrian bridge collapsed onto a highway at a Miami-area college Thursday, crushing at least eight vehicles.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue tweeted that "multiple" people were injured and that there had been a "number of fatalities" when a new, $14.2 million bridge linking Florida International University with the City of Sweetwater,  collapsed.

"We are 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 said.

The bridge, which was not yet open to pedestrians, straddled six lanes of the heavily traveled Tamiami Trail west of Miami. The main span of the bridge was put into place only last Saturday, and it wasn't slated to opened until early 2019.

The bridge was being built to provide access to the university from newly-built dorms and off-campus housing.

FIU spokesperson Maydel Santana-Bravo said the university community was "shocked and saddened about the tragic events."

Meanwhile, the City of Miami tweeted its "heartfelt condolences to the friends and family of the victims of today's bridge collapse in Miami-Dade County and we wish all survivors a speedy recovery."

"We are closely monitoring all developments," the city said.

As of 5 p.m. eastern time, officials at the scene of a bridge collapse said they are drilling holes into the debris to look for survivors.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Division Chief Paul Estopinan said at a Thursday news conference that rescuers are searching the rubble for people who may still be trapped underneath but they did not know how many that might be.

This story is developing ...

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