Any time there is a structure that has damage, it’s important for someone to report it and for that damage to be repaired. This case is a horrifying example of what can go wrong and why it’s so dangerous not to fix problems with structures quickly. Those who died in this case likely left families behind who now have to deal with their losses.
The collapse of a bridge in Miami led to serious harm coming to many. The pedestrian bridge, which weighed 950 tons, fell and trapped eight vehicles in the rubble. Four of the vehicles were crushed completely under the concrete slabs, making it very difficult to reach the victims safely.
It’s not clear what went wrong to cause the pedestrian bridge to collapse, but as a result of the failure, six people died. As of March 17, the death toll was expected to remain at six, but crews have still been participating in the cleanup to determine if any other victims are trapped in the rubble.
Photos from the scene showed that officials had to remove vehicles that were completely collapsed in on themselves. Their roofs had collapsed from the weight, trapping and killing the victims inside. So far, the police have identified four victims. Three of them were killed in their vehicles, while the fourth was taken to the hospital but passed away shortly after the incident.
Prior to this incident, there had been a concern about a crack on the pedestrian walkway. However, engineers determined that the walkway was safe. At the time of the collapse, two workers were tightening wires holding up the bridge. It’s not clear why vehicles were under the bridge when work was taking place above.
When tragedies such as this occur, the list of people or entities that may be responsible could be quite long. An attorney can help you develop a civil lawsuit to hold people responsible if you were injured or someone you love was injured or killed in a construction accident.
Source: USA Today, “Sixth and final victim recovered from Miami bridge collapse: ‘It’s heart wrenching’,” Christal Hayes and Alan Gomez, March 19, 2018
