Engineer warned of cracking in US bridge before deadly collapse

MIAMI: The chief engineer of a Florida bridge project warned authorities of cracking in the structure days before it collapsed, killing at least six people, the southern US state’s department of transportation said Friday, reports AFP.

Chief engineer Denney Pate left a voicemail on a Florida Department of Transportation employee’s landline on March 13, two days before the pedestrian walkway came crashing down on the major road beneath, the department said in a statement.

The voicemail—which was not heard until Friday because the employee it was left for was out of the office—mentioned a problem, but did not warn that structural failure was imminent.

There was “some cracking that’s been observed on the north end of the span,” Pate said, according to a transcript of the call.

“Obviously some repairs or whatever will have to be done but from a safety perspective we don’t see that there’s any issue there,” Pate said.

At least eight cars were trapped when the 950-ton (tonne) bridge suddenly gave way on Thursday, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Division Chief Paul Estopinan said.

 

Engineer warned of cracking in US bridge before deadly collapse

MIAMI: The chief engineer of a Florida bridge project warned authorities of cracking in the structure days before it collapsed, killing at least six people, the southern US states department of transportation said Friday, reports AFP. Chief engineer Denney Pate left a voicemail on a Florida Department of Transportation employees landline on March 13, two days before the pedestrian walkway came crashing down on the major road beneath, the department said in a statement. The voicemailwhich was not heard until Friday because the employee it was left for was out of the officementioned a problem, but did not warn that structural failure was imminent. There was some cracking thats been observed on the north end of the span, Pate said, according to a transcript of the call. Obviously some repairs or whatever will have to be done but from a safety perspective we dont see that theres any issue there, Pate said. At least eight cars were trapped when the 950-ton (tonne) bridge suddenly gave way on Thursday, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Division Chief Paul Estopinan said.