The bridge collapsed yesterday at about 1.30pm local time. Eight people were taken to the hospital, two in critical condition, according to the CNN. Two of the eight victims taken to hospital were construction workers who had been on top of the bridge when it collapsed.
The partially built 950-tonne pedestrian bridge collapsed over a six-lane highway at Florida International University in Miami, crushing cars underneath it. It is believed that a section of the bridge was installed last Sunday.
Fire Chief Dave Downey said at a news briefing on Thursday evening that four of the deceased were found at the scene by first responders.
He says “search and rescue mode” will continue to drill holes into the debris in a desperate attempt to reach any possible survivors. More than 100 firefighters, search and rescue teams and live search dogs were combing the wreckage of the bridge for “viable victims”.
Governor Rick Scott also spoke to reporters, saying “everybody is working hard to make sure we rescue anyone who can be rescued.”
He also said an investigation will get to the bottom of “why this happened and what happened” and if anyone had done anything wrong, “we will hold them accountable.”
Restaurant owner Lianet Sado, whose business is nearby, said her husband tried to give CPR to one of two construction workers who were tied by their harnesses to the top of the bridge.
She described a devastating scene as she told how she and her staff tried to help people who were trapped in their cars.
“There was a car that was completely crushed at the front, so it was probably safe to assume unfortunately that the driver and the co-pilot were both crushed completely. But then there was this young boy in the back of the car with pool of blood and just basically begging for someone to help him.” Ms Sado says.
“That is basically something that I am not going to be able to get out of my head because I am a mother of a kid.” She adds.
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