Partners of 21 years laid to rest together after being killed during FIU bridge collapse

Oswald Gonzalez, Alberto Arias were crushed by concrete while sitting in van

MIAMI ā€“ Two men whose families say had been together for 21 years were laid to rest together Wednesday after being killed last Thursday when a pedestrian bridge that was built to connect Florida International University with the city of Sweetwater collapsed.

The funeralĀ of Oswaldo Gonzalez, 57, and Alberto Arias, 53,Ā wasĀ held at Caballero RiveroĀ WoodlawnĀ South in southwest Miami-Dade.

The victimsĀ were crushed in their white van last Thursday by the tons of concrete from the falling bridge.Ā 

Their families announced Tuesday that a lawsuit has been prepared and will be filed after the funerals.

The Arias and Gonzalez families plan to file a wrongful death lawsuit targeting not only the bridge contractor, MCM, and the engineering firm, FIGG Bridge Group, but also FIU and the Florida Department of Transportation -- government entities whose financial liabilities are capped.

"We are gathering information through a team of engineers and obviously the NTSB report. We are waiting for that," said Yesenia Collazo, an attorney for the Gonzalez and Arias families.

The families said the victims were both natives of Cuba and ran a successful party planning business together.
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About the Authors:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.