FIU President Expresses Condolences Following Bridge Collapse, Promises Investigation

Florida International University president Mark Rosenberg expressed condolences on March 16, after a newly built pedestrian bridge collapsed at the university the previous day. Six people were confirmed dead and nine people were injured.The Miami Herald reported the bridge collapsed atop eight lanes of the Tamiami Trail. The Miami-Dade Police Department was investigating the collapse, along with the National Transportation Safety Board.The $14.2 million walkway was publicized as an “instant” bridge, the Miami Herald report said, because of “construction techniques intended to speed up the work and minimize disruption to commuter traffic.” Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez told reporters the walkway was undergoing a “safety test” on Thursday, but it was unknown if was connected to the collapse.According to a tweet from Florida Sen Marco Rubio, the cables that suspended the walkway “had loosened” and an engineering firm had ordered them to be tightened. “They were being tightened when it collapsed today,” he said. Credit: FIU via Storyful