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| Miami bridge collapse: Engineer's message warned of cracks | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| An engineer working on the Miami university bridge warned of cracks in the structure, two days before it collapsed killing at least six people. | An engineer working on the Miami university bridge warned of cracks in the structure, two days before it collapsed killing at least six people. |
| Denney Pate, lead bridge engineer for contractor FIGG, left a voicemail with the Florida transport department on Tuesday. | Denney Pate, lead bridge engineer for contractor FIGG, left a voicemail with the Florida transport department on Tuesday. |
| He warned of "cracking" but also said there was no concern "from a safety perspective". | He warned of "cracking" but also said there was no concern "from a safety perspective". |
| Department employees did not hear the message until after the bridge fell. | Department employees did not hear the message until after the bridge fell. |
| The Florida International University (FIU) concrete bridge collapsed on to a motorway, crushing at least eight vehicles driving beneath. | The Florida International University (FIU) concrete bridge collapsed on to a motorway, crushing at least eight vehicles driving beneath. |
| The number of victims is thought likely to rise as workers clear the rubble from the 862-tonne structure, which was erected days before as a walkway for university students. | The number of victims is thought likely to rise as workers clear the rubble from the 862-tonne structure, which was erected days before as a walkway for university students. |
| On Saturday, police said the bodies of three of the victims had been recovered from two cars and taken away for identification. | |
| One other person died earlier in hospital, and several vehicles remain under the destroyed bridge. | |
| 'Obviously the cracking is not good' | 'Obviously the cracking is not good' |
| Mr Pate attempted to call an employee on a landline at the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) on Tuesday. | Mr Pate attempted to call an employee on a landline at the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) on Tuesday. |
| However, the employee was away on assignment and did not hear the message until Friday. | However, the employee was away on assignment and did not hear the message until Friday. |
| The department has released a transcript of the message in which Mr Pate speaks of cracking at the north end of the bridge, saying "obviously some repairs or whatever will have to be done". | The department has released a transcript of the message in which Mr Pate speaks of cracking at the north end of the bridge, saying "obviously some repairs or whatever will have to be done". |
| However, he said "from a safety perspective we don't see that there's any issue... although obviously the cracking is not good". | However, he said "from a safety perspective we don't see that there's any issue... although obviously the cracking is not good". |
| Florida Senator Marco Rubio tweeted that workers had been tightening cables supporting the bridge at the time it collapsed. | Florida Senator Marco Rubio tweeted that workers had been tightening cables supporting the bridge at the time it collapsed. |
| The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator Robert Accetta said cracks in the structure did "not necessarily mean that it is unsafe". | The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator Robert Accetta said cracks in the structure did "not necessarily mean that it is unsafe". |
| The bridge was put up last Saturday in just six hours, and the university hailed the "first of its kind" bridge online. | The bridge was put up last Saturday in just six hours, and the university hailed the "first of its kind" bridge online. |
| FIGG Engineering was behind the bridge project, along with Munilla Construction company (MCM), a family-owned contractor. | FIGG Engineering was behind the bridge project, along with Munilla Construction company (MCM), a family-owned contractor. |
| MCM tweeted "thoughts and prayers" for those affected by the tragedy. | MCM tweeted "thoughts and prayers" for those affected by the tragedy. |
| Both firms said they would co-operate with investigators. | Both firms said they would co-operate with investigators. |