As FIU Victim’s Names Are Released, Reports Indicate Engineer Reported Cracks in Bridge Days Before Collapse

As authorities continue to investigate the tragic FIU bridge collapse, the names of the victims are beginning to trickle out.

USA today reports that eight cars were crushed under the massive 950-ton structure when it collapsed. Several of the vehicles were completely crushed. Officials were cognizant to be respectful of the remains inside the vehicles, and reportedly covered them as they pulled them from the rubble. The victims will be removed at the medical examiner’s office.

Officials released the identities of several of the victims of this week’s tragedy. They included:

• Rolando Fraga Hernández
• Oswald Gonzalez
• Alberto Arias
• Navarro Brown

At the time USA Today published its report, officials had not yet removed all of the cars. They indicated that they hoped to have the “mission” completed by the end of the day.

The news relating to the bridge collapse has been fast moving since Thursday. News reports today indicate that an engineer with an engineering firm involved in the bridge’s design, FIGG Bridge Group, called the Florida Department of Transportation earlier in the week to report cracks in the bridge. He left a voice mail message, saying

“We’ve taken a look at it and, uh, 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 so we’re not concerned about it from that perspective although obviously the cracking is not good and something’s going to have to be, ya know, done to repair that.”

The message was not checked until after the tragic collapse.

The Miami Herald reports bridge cables were being tightened at the time of the structure’s failure. The cables had reportedly been loosened before the tightening in a process called a “stress test”.