The death toll rose overnight in the catastrophic collapse of a 950-ton pedestrian bridge at Florida International University in Miami-Dade County, as a search for survivors became a mission to recover bodies, police said before dawn Friday. 
 
 At least six people are confirmed dead, Miami-Dade Police Detective Alvaro Zabaleta told reporters at the scene along a normally busy, eight-lane thoroughfare where the 174-foot-long bridge came down Thursday afternoon. 
 
 Five people died at the scene and another person died at the hospital, Zabaleta said. 
 
 At least one of the deceased was an FIU student, Sweetwater Mayor Orlando Lopez said during a second press conference Friday morning. Students had been on spring break and the campus was less busy than usual this week. 
 
 Authorities withheld victims’ names. The death toll could rise, Zabaleta warned. 
 
 “There is the possibility, the sad possibility, that under the concrete there may be additional vehicles.” Zabaleta said. 
 
 At least eight vehicles were beneath the broken concrete slabs, officials have said. 
 
 Miami-Dade Police Director Juan Perez said for the time being, they would not provide information about casualties. 
 
 “We’re not going to talk numbers anymore,” Perez said about updating tallies of the injured and the dead. “We expect to find other individuals down there. So what’s probably best is we wait to find all the vehicles and we’ll give you a grand total of the fatalities and the magnitude of this event.” 
 
 A new 950-ton pedestrian bridge at Florida International University in Miami-Dade county collapsed Thursday afternoon, killing an unknown number of people. 
 
 The bridge was put in place Saturday and was to be completed in 2019. It crossed Southwest Eighth Street and was intended to be a safe passageway for students and connect the school’s campus to the city of Sweetwater to the north. 
 
 State and federal investigators began Friday to figure out why the span failed. 
 
 The university was open Friday. A main entrance to campus was closed because traffic along Southwest Eighth Street between Southwest 107th Avenue to Southwest 117th Avenue will be detoured indefinitely. 
 
 “The people of South Florida have been through a lot, obviously, over the last several weeks, ” National Transportation Safety Board chairman Robert Sumwalt III said Friday, referring to the Feb. 14 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, when 17 were killed and 17 wounded. “And this is just yet one more tragedy to add to that sad book.” 
 
 A “go team” of specialists, including experts in civil engineering and materials science from NTSB will study the failed project. He expects the NTSB team to work on the scene for five to seven days. Investigators from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration were also working at the fallen bridge. 
 
 “Our entire purpose is to find out what happened so we can keep it from happening again,” Sumwalt said. 
 
 Authorities declined to address reports about whether the bridge had undergone testing before the Thursday afternoon collapse. 
 
 “Those are answers we’re looking for was well,” said Perez, the county police director. He added that the entire project, from contract to catastrophe, will be reviewed and will go on long after the broken concrete and victims are removed. 
 
 U.S. Senator Marco Rubio had tweeted Thursday night, “The cables that suspend the #Miami bridge had loosened & the engineering firm ordered that they be tightened. They were being tightened when it collapsed today.” 
 
 Miami-Dade County Deputy Mayor Maurice Kemp said Friday, “We have not confirmed that there was a stress test. The key here is not to jump to conclusions, not to speak on speculations, but to work on fact. And that’s what we plan to do.” 
 
 Steps taken Friday will include moving in heavy equipment to break the largest, still solid piece of concrete and remove it so victims can be recovered, what Perez called a “tedious process. Our goal is to get everything removed so we can get to those victims.” 
 
 Firefighters got the call for help at 1:30 p.m. Thursday. Search and rescue crews worked into the night to try to find survivors. 
 
 The $14.2 million bridge, which FIU said “swung into place” on Saturday, had not yet opened to the public. 
 
 Witness Susie Bermudez told WTVJ-Ch. 6 she was driving toward the bridge when she saw it fall. 
 
 "There’s probably like seven or eight cars under the bridge, so it was very shocking to me, and I’m very grateful to be alive," Bermudez said. 
 
 Gov. Rick Scott and Rubio flew to Miami Thursday night and while speaking from the college campus, pledged to figure out what led to the collapse. 
 
 “There will clearly be an investigation to find out exactly what happened and why this happened and we will hold anybody accountable if anybody has done anything wrong,” Scott said Thursday. “But the most important thing we can do right now is pray for the individuals that ended up in the hospital, for their full recovery, and pray for the family members that have lost loved ones.” 
 
 Rubio, who has taught at the university as an adjunct professor for the last decade, said the bridge was built as a safety feature after a student was killed while crossing the busy street there last year. 
 
 “It was also going to be a signature project, one that people would identify with the school and this community, and one of a kind in terms of its engineering design,” Rubio said. “To see it on the ground there today and underneath it those who lost their lives as a result of this and those who have been injured, it’s just so tragic. 
 
 “There will be an exhaustive review that will get details on an engineering and scientific level as to what the errors were and what led to this catastrophic collapse, of that you can rest assured … The public deserves to know and the families of those who have been hurt and lost their lives deserve to know what went wrong.” 
 
 It was unknown how long the investigations and reviews could take. 
 
 Photographs from the scene showed a partially crushed cranberry-colored sedan, its rear end trapped beneath the rubble, its front end free from debris. The grilles of two other vehicles could be seen beneath the edge of a concrete slab. ||||| CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter 
 
 MIAMI (CBSMiami) — Florida International University’s (FIU) massive new pedestrian bridge collapsed, killing at least four people and crushing several vehicles under it. 
 
 “We have located four deceased,” confirmed Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Chief Dave Downey at a Thursday night news conference. 
 
 Read: National Transportation Safety Board Investigating Bridge Collapse At Florida International University 
 
 The 950-ton bridge, located at 109th Ave and 8th Street, came crumbling down onto a number of cars. 
 
 “I was looking at the bridge. It was fine and all of a sudden, I saw it collapse from the left towards the middle,” said the witness to CBS4’s Ted Scouten. “I jumped out of my car and I ran towards the victim to see if we could help anybody but when I saw, the only thing you could see were the car lights in the front. It was totally smashed, almost to the ground. So, there was only one girl who survived. It smashed the back-end of her car…they were able to pull her out….They couldn’t get anyone out of their cars. They’re smashed.” 
 
 Miami-Dade Police Chief Juan Perez said 8 people have been taken to the hospital and eight vehicles are stuck under the bridge and the number of dead is undetermined. At least one person has reportedly died. 
 
 “We do know that there are 8 vehicles that they can see that are under there,” said Miami-Dade County Commissioner Joe Martinez. “In reality, nobody can tell you if it was a vehicle that only had a driver or had a driver and 4 passengers. So, when you’re asking about numbers, we really don’t know.” 
 
 Dr. Mark McKenny at Kendall Regional Medical Center said they have two patients in critical condition and 8 others in stable condition. He said there were other patients taken to other hospitals. 
 
 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said they continue to search for “viable victims,” meaning they believe someone could be still alive under the rubble. Search and rescue crews are expected to work into the night. 
 
 Gallery: Scene of the FIU Bridge Collapse 
 
 The cars were reportedly stopped at a red light when the pedestrian bridge collapsed around 1:30 p.m. Thursday. 
 
 “I saw the bridge just collapse in front of me and it fell on the cars that were sitting, waiting there for the light to change,” the same witness told Scouten. 
 
 “I just heard a really loud crash…I ran to my balcony and then I saw that it was down,” said witness Chelsea Morsey who lives in a high-rise tower just feet away from the bridge. “It was complete chaos. There was everybody running around and I saw just a couple of cars like sticking out.” 
 
 “There were no warning signs. It looks like it just came down,” an official told CBS4’s Jim DeFede. 
 
 Senator Bill Nelson says the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is “launching and leading an investigation into the bridge collapse.” 
 
 Witness Aura Martinez who spoke with CBS4 said, “It was such a scary feeling because I saw [the collapse] and I didn’t know what to do,” she told CBS4. “It just literally killed people and so we ran out there and tried to help people we saw. One girl, her car, it was literally a miracle of God because her car was just squished at the back. … It was very traumatizing.” 
 
 Martinez is a sophomore who was trying to find her friend who was one of the victims in the car when the bridge collapsed. 
 
 FIU issued a statement to about the deadly incident, saying, 
 
 “We are shocked and saddened about the tragic events unfolding at the FIU-Sweetwater pedestrian bridge. At this time we are still involved in the rescue efforts and gathering information. We are working closely with authorities and first responders on the scene. We will share updates as we have them.” 
 
 The president of FIU, Mark Rosenberg, issued a statement saying he was ‘heartbroken’ by the news, saying in part, “We send our deepest condolences to the victims and the families. We are working to appropriate agencies to assist in rescue efforts.” 
 
 Florida Governor Rick Scott will be at FIU this evening to get briefed by law enforcement and school officials. He says he’s spoken with Miami-Dade Police Chief Juan Perez and will stay in contact with law enforcement through the day. 
 
 A family reunification center has been set up at FIU’s campus in the Student Academic Success Center (SASC), Room 100. Families or friends worried that someone they know could have been a victim can call 305 348-3481. 
 
 As for traffic in the area, 8th Street is shutdown in both directions. Law enforcement is asking the public to avoid the area between SW 107th Ave to SW 117th Ave and 8th Street indefinitely. 
 
 “Please stay out of the area,” said Chief Perez. 
 
 The company that built the bridge, MCM, issued a statement saying: “Our family’s thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by this terrible tragedy. The new UniversityCity Bridge, which was under construction, experienced a catastrophic collapse causing injuries and loss of life. MCM is a family business and we are all devastated and doing everything we can to assist. We will conduct a full investigation to determine exactly what went wrong and will cooperate with investigators on scene in every way.” 
 
 FIGG Bridge Group also helped put together the bridge and issued a statement saying: “We are stunned by today’s tragic collapse of a pedestrian bridge that was under construction over Southwest Eighth Street in Miami. Our deepest sympathies are with all those affected by this accident. We will fully cooperate with every appropriate authority in reviewing what happened and why. In our 40-year history, nothing like this has ever happened before. Our entire team mourns the loss of life and injuries associated with this devastating tragedy, and our prayers go out to all involved.” 
 
 Barnhart Crane and Rigging moved the bridge into place on Saturday. They issued a statement saying in part: “Barnhart Crane and Rigging was saddened by the news of the tragedy that occurred in Miami with the collapse of the Florida International University pedestrian bridge. Barnhart was contracted to move the bridge into place and was not involved with the design or construction of the bridge. Our scope of work was completed without incident and according to all technical requirements.” 
 
 The bridge went up on Saturday . It was then lowered into its final position, just west of 109th Avenue that day. The main span was built next to Southwest 8th Street. 
 
 The bridge was meant to be part of a larger transportation initiative to create a safer path for students and local residents. It was constructed using an innovative approach to bridge construction – a technique meant to reduce potential risks to workers, commuters, and pedestrians and prevented traffic tie-ups in the area. 
 
 The positioning of the bridge Saturday was the largest pedestrian bridge move via Self-Propelled Modular Transportation, in U.S. history. 
 
 Funding for the $14.2 million bridge, connecting plazas and walkways is part of a $19.4 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Other funding agencies include the Federal Highway Administration, Florida Department of Transportation Local Agency Program, FIU and the City of Sweetwater. 
 
 Construction for the bridge began in the spring of 2017 and was expected to be completed in early 2019. 
 
 (GALLERY: Pictures showing the scene of the bridge collapse) ||||| UPDATE: As of Friday morning, six people are confirmed dead. 
 
 A pedestrian bridge under construction collapsed Thursday, just days after crews had dropped an elevated 950-ton span in place on a signature project that was intended to give Florida International University students a safe route across the busy roadway. 
 
 The massive span — in a sudden, catastrophic failure — crashed down across eight lanes of heavily traveled Tamiami Trail, flattening eight cars. The death toll remained uncertain as rescue crews continued to work into the night to reach vehicles but late Thursday Miami-Dade fire chief Dave Downey confirmed at least four people had been killed, including a student from FIU, police sources said. 
 
 Nine people had been pulled from the rubble by evening and rushed to Kendall Regional Medical Center’s trauma unit, including two who required immediate surgery. The others sustained injuries ranging from scrapes and bruises to broken bones, which were not considered life threatening. On campus, some families waited for word on missing loved ones. 
 
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 Even before the dust from the disaster settled, motorists scrambled from their cars to help. At least one woman, Katrina Collazo, was pulled from her half-crushed car, miraculously unscathed. 
 
 “Thank God ... my daughter is alive,” said her mother, Ada Collazo, in Spanish, after rushing to the scene, fearful that another family member also might have been riding in the back. “I thought my granddaughter was in the car, but she wasn’t. She’s in school.” 
 
 Collazo said her daughter, who had been on campus for a nursing meeting, stopped at a red light when she said she heard what sounded like small rocks falling on her car. As she turned around, the span mashed everything behind the driver seat. The car next to her was not as lucky. That vehicle was flattened like an aluminum can. 
 
 The FIU bridge collapsing... I’m still in shock pic.twitter.com/ZNqO2z5ch6 — Megan (@meganmfernandez) March 15, 2018 
 
 It was not immediately clear what caused the collapse of a $14.2 million structure FIU had touted as an innovative “instant” bridge because of construction techniques intended to speed up the work and minimize disruption to commuter traffic. The bridge’s main 175-foot span, assembled on the side of the road, was raised into place across Tamiami Trail on Saturday in less than six hours. But the project was far from complete and not expected to open to student foot traffic until 2019. 
 
 Several witnesses reported that two workers were on the bridge when it collapsed shortly before 2 p.m. Early in the day, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez said the bridge had undergone a “stress test” but it was unclear what, if any, role that might have played in the failure. FIU President Mark Rosenberg confirmed there was testing on the bridge sometime before the collapse, but said the testing was proper. 
 
 “I have not spoken directly to Munilla Construction, but I am satisfied that the testing that was occurring was consistent with best practices," Rosenberg said shortly after 8 p.m. “I’m not an engineer, so I'm not privy to those details. I know that tests occurred today. And I know, I believe, that they did not prove to lead anyone to the conclusion that we would have this kind of a result. But I do not know that as a fact.” 
 
 Late Thursday, came the first definitive word from a government official about what was being done on the bridge when it fell. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-FL, said in a Twitter post that: “The cables that suspend the #Miami bridge had loosened & the engineering firm ordered that they be tightened. They were being tightened when it collapsed today.” 
 
 Rubio, a Miami Republican, did not elaborate on the information. But he was in a position to know inside details about the catastrophe. 
 
 He traveled to the FIU campus Thursday on same plane with Rosenberg. He said he spoke to MCM partner Pedro Munilla amid the rubble and he attended private briefings at FIU. 
 
 The late post came soon after Gov. Rick Scott and Rubio both promised swift investigations. 
 
 “We will hold anybody accountable if anybody has done anything wrong,” Scott said. 
 
 Rubio also vowed an “exhaustive” review with scrutiny of “science and engineering” that went into the project. “The families and the survivors deserve to know what went wrong,” he said. 
 
 The National Transportation Safety Board announced that it was dispatching a team of 15 to examine the collapse and investigators expected to be on site by late Thursday. 
 
 Authorities stressed that it could take days or more to determine what went wrong. But one agency, the Florida Department of Transportation, quickly distanced itself, issuing a fact sheet saying it had a limited role in the project and emphasizing FIU’s responsibility for testing and safely completing the bridge. 
 
 Designed as a cable-supported bridge, the project was a collaboration between MCM Construction, a prominent Miami-based contractor, and FIGG Bridge Design, based in Tallahassee. FIGG is responsible for the iconic Sunshine Skyway Bridge across Tampa Bay. 
 
 FIGG issued a statement Thursday saying the company was “stunned” by the collapse and promising to cooperate with every authority investigating the collapse. 
 
 “In our 40-year history, nothing like this has ever happened before,” the company’s statement said. “Our entire team mourns the loss of life and injuries associated with this devastating tragedy, and our prayers go out to all involved.” MCM Construction Management, which is building the bridge, posted a message to the company’s Facebook page promising “a full investigation to determine exactly what went wrong.” 
 
 Mayor Gimenez, in Hong Kong on a trade mission, said in a telephone interview that he instructed county rescue workers to identify license plates from the trapped cars as quickly as possible so that families could be notified. 
 
 Rescue crews with specially trained dogs and listening devices were poring over the wreckage, hoping to find survivors. About two hours after the collapse, crews also brought in heavy equipment to probe under sections of the shattered span. 
 
 “I don’t know what’s under the bridge, under the rubble,” said Lt. Alex Camacho of the Florida Highway Patrol. “It’s impossible to see.” 
 
 The injured were transported to the trauma center at Kendall Regional. Mark McKenney, chief of the trauma department, said the 10 injured patients ranged in age from 20 to 50 years old, including one man whose heart had stopped beating when he arrived. 
 
 Doctors revived the man, who was not identified, and wheeled him into the operating room. He is listed in critical condition with head and chest injuries. 
 
 A second patient arrived comatose with severe injuries that required orthopedic and neurosurgery, the hospital spokesperson said. The remaining eight patients are in stable condition with injuries ranging from scrapes and bruises to broken bones. 
 
 FIU spokesperson Maydel Santana-Bravo issued a statement, even as rescue crews were still working the scene. 
 
 “We are shocked and saddened about the tragic events unfolding at the FIU-Sweetwater Bridge,” she said. “At this time, we are still involved in rescue efforts and gathering information. We are working closely with authorities and first responders on the scene. We will share updates as we have them.” 
 
 FIU students are on spring break this week, but traffic was expected to be heavy with the Miami-Dade County Youth Fair opening nearby on Thursday. 
 
 President Donald Trump also posted a tweet, “Continuing to monitor the heartbreaking bridge collapse at FIU — so tragic.” 
 
 Students and faculty have long clamored for a bridge at the 109th Avenue crossing, where students on foot have to scurry across heavily traveled Tamiami Trail, which divides the campus from Sweetwater. Though FIU provides shuttles, many students prefer to walk. In August, FIU undergraduate Alexis Dale was hit and killed by a motorist while crossing the intersection. 
 
 The pedestrian walkway was installed in a single morning at Southwest 109th Avenue on Saturday, intended eventually to link FIU’s Modesto A. Maidique Campus to the small suburban city of Sweetwater, where the university estimates 4,000 of its students live. 
 
 FIU, which has an “accelerated bridge construction” program in its engineering school, promoted the project’s innovative approach. A 175-foot section of the overall 320-foot long bridge was fabricated by the side of the Trail while support columns were erected in place. The 950-ton span was lifted off the ground by a mechanical transporter, swung into position across the Trail, then lowered into place over the support columns. That reduced to a minimum the time the trail had to be closed to traffic, and minimized risks to workers and people in the vicinity, FIU said. 
 
 This is a breaking news story and will be updated as more is learned. 
 
 Miami Herald Staff Writers Howard Cohen, Alex Harris, David J. Neal, Charles Rabin, David Smiley, Jennifer Staletovich, Carli Teproff and Martin Vassolo contributed to this report.
– Officials say several people are dead after a new pedestrian bridge collapsed onto a road near the Florida International University campus Thursday in Miami, CBS Miami reports. According to the Miami Herald, the 950-ton bridge was installed Saturday to provide pedestrian access between FIU's main campus and an area where students live in off-campus housing and new dorms. The Florida Highway Patrol says five to six vehicles were crushed under the collapsed bridge, ABC News reports. The highway patrol says several people were killed, but an exact number of injuries and fatalities is unknown. It's also unknown why the pedestrian bridge collapsed. The bridge was built using a new method meant to reduce risks to workers and traffic impacts during construction.