In a pilgrim here we are following breaking news this eat this afternoon in South Florida a newly installed pedestrian bridge connecting. Florida International University to the city of sweet water has collapsed several cars. Under that many many tons. Pedestrian bridge are now trapped there were people we have heard from witnesses that were also on top of that bridge we believe those were construction workers. Producer Scott withers is there on the scene he is able to have a ground eye view of exactly what's going on Scott he tells what you're seeing right now. The -- just a few minutes ago the rescue crew cure there aren't he they brought it to crane a construction crane this is one of those giant crane that you see what building building that. They brought that indeed trying to live out somebody huge piece of concrete. It is you know 900 aggregate current of agree that it collapsed down it is it needed scale of this. It eat it stretches across about that equally separately the traffic is that it hurriedly got eight lanes of traffic there that this bridge goes across. If you're looking at it. I'd like polio chilly it is now with eight street near picked up by party urged that you're looking at the bridge. From about the middle south where. It's all still in one piece it's bleeding Darrow. But it's still want peace but from the center of the bridge north where it is just crumbled and while streaked out. Hitting this at least three cars that I saw a minivan that there eight. 88 how to get at the parent what I also. Make it. He differs with a large box truck type vehicle at it has yes and. Flatten to about three big four feet tall although they are you didn't yet stage. Know what they're doing with this crane hopefully. Is there could be a little lift that he did not see if there's any survivors still in those cars or at least trying to get those arms about it. Weber the brutality out of the way. One of the problems though is that large pieces I was telling you about that he'll credit. In it connected reaching out to the south eating is just. Seeing bitterly on a pedestal. Maybe two or three inches and they're still an attempt so it could all with the a little gods that could come crashing down so that got Eddie that like you that this bridge was still under construction. It was an open to the public yet you still see their like construction orange plastic. Think along the bridge you can heal gap they are right that there were no have you got there may have been in construction workers. I talked to a man who had just gotten into his truck you won't see the eighth street Eddie was heading towards originally. Maybe he said he might be for the bridge when it collapsed. And he didn't see what caused it to collapse he used it jobs now and it would mass pandemonium he couldn't believe his eyes. Saw the car creeks. Flattening cars directly in front a few horse jacket and he would have data that are so that is so what he'd albeit. It happened people jumped out of their cars students were the university came rushing out to help the altar I deplore people aren't late yet. People out of the way. But unfortunately they can't get to those cars aren't you eat that managed. And killed this crane is able rip it off the chart is that all those cars. Instead that he saying if the bridge gave meaning blazes any sounds that would have warned people something was about to happen or did this just happened completely out of nowhere. So he's asking that and he's that I was in my car and I had that I. But other witnesses are saying it's not like kind of earthquake they heard a large. All just scratched out they could that just the deletes from crash. I yet panel from what's left and I haven't detailed policy and you play ability tallied up her over the construction immediate. Is it there with that killer or any kind of middle of the road support mechanism for this bridge or was just one long piece of bridge spanning 878. Link I can't tell. But I can tell you if there wasn't support even the middle there's nothing standing up their app. This guy can you get people a sense of how busy this right as we can see how many lanes they are and I know mean you have been in on that road together before. There you out there are a lot of card but explain to people watching this exactly what traffic is light and how busy it would have been at the time this crash. He had been printing main artery a main thoroughfare here southwest. I yet we're only about. That dull but expressway which while it is eight source Al express. This road runs eat less so acute need to go Kruup basically out the Everett lake area into downtown Pittsburgh this just take all the late straight. Thoroughfare. Request a cost it across basically just. Easter portion of any of the US security but he can't cover story meet. During the earlier this bridge was bill before it was there it just caught up. You know one of this thing is that people are get a focus side. The university sent out a press release recently bank. How quickly they were able to install base bridge because of modern bridge ski yacht bridge building techniques. Look technique are now going to be in question they were trumpeting how state this week could it be to have this pedestrian bridge. The people that have to walk across the street there to be able to go over well now we see what we don't know what has caused this. I know the construction company may have been sending out mat it's about that that. Building of this I haven't had a chance to read it yet but I can tell you great out there are confirmed fatalities. The governor on his way here now me want to jump ball out there are bringing it. Restaurant speaking right now coming down the street the light trucks with. The excavation. Equipment which argued that big front loaders they're each game but the ingredient moving out of the way. Incumbent Gary acted again it was ran to get to be getting whipped first respond. Calling under trying to pull people are digging people out there that. The body because they got to the part where they just couldn't move the deputy concrete bell debris in the big tools you try to get those big piece you can't beat out. And I could noted that create I was mentioning what we first came up air it now would you the only it's being that it won't be up. Do here. It locking it into place that that those portions better public art being lifted off those vehicles pretty you know. And we can see some of those first responders now trying to wedge under that bridge it looks like they they may be. Talking to sound lion or looking at something under that bridge let's talk about. The construction of this bridge let's bring in senior transportation correspondent David currently. In DC the National Transportation Safety Board is now investigating exactly what happened here. But they were hurt touting the fact that this bridge was put up in just a couple of hours this gist was put up. On Saturday if it. Those site about the. It is the first there are launching a team they'd have according to a spokesperson not aware of ever investigating it pedestrian bridge collapse before. They do indeed investigate. Traffic bridges that she would drive highway bridges is to drive trucks or vehicles over so it NTSB team is on the way. Now that touting was done by the university and he should know that Florida International University has a civil engineering department which has been touting this. And of course the manufacturer. And also the bridge engineering company in fact it's at some. If you've looked at those pictures that we've been showing your in the quarter showing them putting it up sexy it to level bridge so the that the bottom level is where the pedestrians would walk and then there was some pillars in the center of it and above that was basically an overhang so in case it was raining. You could walk across a bridge and not get wet. All of that has collapse of this one large stand. Would this weather caught in this instant bridge was built elsewhere. And the idea was you bring this stand up to the area want to put it up that. And you basic only have to take a day so on this very busy highway you're not. Bothering traffic for other than a night. That they pick it up and turn it and set it down on its pedestals on either side of the road so the main span was there. It was gonna take many more months to finish this bridge and its connections but what we have seen is part of that stand has collapse that should not happen. So the engineering company will be party to the NTSB investigation as well as the local Miami Dade County construction company which actually build. One of the things they were touting about this is the first of its kind it has a special conquer you may see that looks a little bit extra white. They put. Some metal and and in other things into the concrete. At the surface so that it's basically self cleans that's what they tout as first of its kind. But this is a significant. Engineering or construction failure possibly both that the NTSB will now invest. What will those NTSB investigators being looking at when they try to figure out what caused this span. To collapse the way that it did. They will go back to the very beginning to the engineering drawings how was it designed how was it engineered is there a flaw in that design. Then they will look at the manufacturing of the elements of it including the steel was a steel made correctly. Was it it was a tested was inspected correctly. The concrete was a port correctly. At the right kind of pressure that it needs to be out for this birds are gonna look at every part of that then they'll start looking at what they were doing on the site. As they were installing it as well this was a fully funded federal project to fourteen million dollar bridge. Paid for by the Department of Transportation. That was for this university basically get the students over this very busy highway safely so it will be as as the NTSB investigates any kind of a plane accident or bus accident they look at every factor of what may have happened here ironically. The last time we talked about a real big serious bridge classes in Minneapolis this was ten or eleven years ago. It was the significant bridge collapse the designer of this pedestrian bridge. Design the replacement of the I 35 bridge in Minnesota's well. Now it's a very big company by the way it's a base in Jacksonville Florida they do a lot of bridges. One that company now saying they're gonna cooperate with the NTSB. Investigators. As well. The current investigation like there's young people especially fatalities are always looking for answers how quickly are we going to know exactly what happened here. The exact answer from the NTSB will probably be a year from now before we actually hear from the NTSB because there are investigations are so detailed and and gets so deep into the process. We may hear something they will release fax quickly if they learn something if there's a factual point. To release they will do that and we see that. In plain accidents and then the helicopter crash just the other day in the East River in New York if they know something specific. They won't release it at that time they will not reach any conclusions they will not provide probable cause until they finish their report and quite often for the inches fee is eight months to. Sometime over a year before they finished one of these exhaustive investigations and the video you're seeing. The of the drawing it or that mock up and almost looks like a computer generated. Gives you a good sense of the two levels and all the concrete this thing was. I think it was a hundred in ninety tons not all of it as you can see that worst part of it is. On the left side of the screen the collapse not all of the the tonnage of the concrete came down on all the cars. He habits and the eight lanes of traffic bears even a couple lanes of cars as are people there and then of course there's construction workers or. On top that bridge if or for the investigators as they go in. With the bridge and that can current condition are they going to have to wait some time to make sure it's safe but they can actually look at the physical site. Yeah they are launching a team now the there's a potential that there is an investigator. Or two in Florida but usually a they launched many of them from Washington and then from. Other parts of the country and they will not start there. Actual. Examination. Of debris until it is deemed safe. By the engineers the first responders are ready else is on the scene and an up and put their people at risk in order to figure out what happened here. Thanks David currently any of the world news piece have you gotta get back to work let's check in again with Scott weather's our producer who is there on the ground seeing what's happening. An update with you sky exactly leasing at this point. Well there's still focusing on those heavy pieces equipment like lake David was saying they've got it's right. That tonnage Unclei. That's why they're there focus on getting that crane operational there off loading rate now this front loaders that I put out about their edu that also. Would he have each flattened concrete ugly yet those cars. I'm not close it up you how they're still. Trying to get Saturday that they're talking to people they pushed me back the wave. When I first got here I would get up he did it if he did they let it walker got they had put up out at it slowly pushing back. You know obviously we're hearing the Arctic bird it Alley. I'm sure they'll let those are still highly Qwikster by Clark they had just good. They've been flat. And it's going to be a while you're before they get that out from. You know like traffic there respective here traffic low. Eight this is a huge thoroughfare it could be close were quite IL IV even if they get this stuff on the way. We're working and it in the investigation he did not reveal everything. This should be battle in New York graduate you're. It's going to be problem attic or pork. As an of course everyone is speaking about. The the totality that people struck the departure there are people are all watching hotline eight is there are watching. It. Eight and take you don't act like. The art than of them I've ragged they. But I was close enough to read the license plate so you if you. Art. He might down. People way to describe what it had a car similar to that. People out here at any rate. They're dealing crisis situation. The it's a horrible horrible scene here on the big he asked by U. Sky member saying earlier a lot of those people being at. Split and pulled out and Clinton emergency vehicles to be treated. Could you get a sense of what type of injuries you we're seeing from those people that they were taking to the hospital. I'd set to receive some care or where you got close enough to see that at that point. No other great an accident right up next the ambulance when it out now her car was only partially. He would should hurt the out at her car was not. Collapsed literally the concrete on the in his blocks of her car. So it Magid sitting in your car driving broad at a huge slab of concrete land on me. Actually the part of your car while you're sitting right. They get out because it's like it that big joke or aura they got her strength she did not seem to be two in reduction of its. Help injury beat the dot that easily get a cost of issues. Talking should be sitting there hitting up ought to people so they were able to get. In and get hold out. Other people I was able to see other the other of the injuries were people that they were able to all other. One can imagine that there's going to be or when you have read it for the right. And scout we are now I'm looking at a live picture of the scene there we are now seeing some yellow tarps that they have put up that is never. A good sign on the scene like this they blocked one portion. And think that was the area that we saw some of those rescuers act earlier. Are they still trying to go in to those. To what they can seats. To find people that may need help or had this now turned. A different direction as far as trying to hack him to remove that things that are under that rates. Yet in it appears from the ground what they're doing is they're putting out this eight. As assistant beach front loaders to try to lift these people people. And add up to the that you get it further to see if there are any survivors. Ian those in vehicles it has nothing else they can I can't think they've been realized that everybody that they could get. They got killed and now they're just waiting until they can get this up operational and hopefully it had to be pretty. Such a slow process though just because of the weight of grant they're having to now move. I got applications for them and store. Kirk. Early was saying you know hundreds of times you get to split that even if everybody out here who want it to lift the court. There's nothing you can usually get that heavy no heavy piece of equipment it could take it out and the law. And now sky are they staging a certain area or have emergency responders just rushed the scene. Getting as close as they can and doing what they can. Are you seeing any type of organization happening now that some minutes have passed. Yet it got they've got a full perimeter the full out police perimeter up I you can't get down the road 888. Closed up basically act the at you don't. You can't get any direct. Side streets and they've got it all of the all of the leaves are great out. And ordered. Eight are. You where they need to beaten it got a riveter keeping everybody else further back. And they're really not a lot more than a news polling people away. I'm there. It is. Pop that they would get you know there are they get up to a hospital equipment. Hire an urgency could. Are still trying to bring in supply. You know you and I have covered. These type disaster event all over the country and what's a little bit different when this what is usually. Eat. Lots of activity people being pushed it was appalled they throw it back and pick up. I think they differ because they've already. Everybody naked Dixie and now a last meal and he had legal and killed we detect opera. Now where you are position and I mean I can't help but think of that cars that we can see and that people who. Are not able to get in touch with their loved ones at this point we're concern. Especially people who have students at IU are you seeing any parents or students or people come to that area trying to find loved ones. Well what's happening it's. I'm on the north side of this road is eight a deeper and eat it basically river. You can't get onto the roads of people are being held not on at. Other sound flight in this room should be. By year. And issue out there are two large parking garage is right their body. To the bridge and there are hundreds disputed. Getting those are grudges. Down nobody can come out to. And gotten into the police got the perimeter. Oil spill. And there are side of the study get it got their river and. If teen story apartment complex watches and wouldn't. You know your market. There was resident in the job needs more she Washington apple engineers should and that it. It's doubtful how quickly this thing collapsed. And that people are kind of trapped regret they can't go out how did not predict that route they did show lot. But make yet get to see who did little carts. It happened all of the after. Right excellent of those part watches it and build it could be a cart obviously because. We don't know for sure I know for a fact that the truck driver I was talking Q he would do drink some steel plate. And its construction site he had just delivered them gotten struck me about driving toward degree. Almost hit a bridge when it collapsed so these vetoed it won't. Would these could be it would keep our. Like a debt such as the hero that back up is already. We lost that. Yet I earn Democrat Linda area has a lot of shopping centers and businesses as well as that. University which has just exploded in growth which is part of why they're building at pedestrian bridge in all this parking garage as. So in general. A lot of traffic in that area. Yeah that the sweet water and just where I'm standing I can be cute three other construction. Crane. That are not associated with this bridge but they're building apartment complex that they're building other buildings this area. It's just legal road area and dirt not buildings built here speak. If he. Some thousand now at this university this university has exploded by in this neighborhood so they're trying to build up. You know the university. It's with a great out this bridge and at. 8 o'clock very busy roadway well you know they know how many people clocked in. That student to get to the residential area the other side to side of the road which this week. All right thank you so much Scott for joining us this afternoon we of course are gonna continue to follow the rescue and recovery efforts and there in South Florida without the latest. On this pedestrian Barrett's collapsed on world news.