MIAMI — A construction accident on the Interstate 395 bridge near downtown Miami trapped six workers Friday night, prompting a complex rescue operation and major road closures, authorities said.
According to Miami Fire Rescue, it happened while a construction crew was working on the I-395 bridge.
Crews were called to the scene at about 10:20 p.m. after reports that construction workers were trapped beneath a bridge.
All six workers were rescued and transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma with critical injuries, fire officials said.
They said MFR’s Technical Rescue Team used specialized equipment to extricate the victims. A crane at the construction site was also used to free one worker who was pinned between a pillar.
Authorities said there is no risk of collapse in the construction area.
They said the Florida Highway Patrol will lead the investigation into the accident. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been contacted.
They said all eastbound lanes of the Dolphin Expressway just before I-395 were temporarily shut down but reopened around 8 a.m. Lanes near Northwest 17th Avenue were also temporarily closed.
Miami police said traffic closure notices are expected to be issued overnight or into Saturday morning.
Maria Rosa Higgins Fallon, a spokesperson with the Florida Department of Transportation, released the following statement to Local 10 News on Saturday morning on the construction accident:
"Contrary to reports describing an incident last night on the Signature Bridge as a “bridge collapse”, an incident occurred during a scheduled overnight construction operation which involved construction formwork during a concrete pour within the work zone. It did not involve the bridge structure or any portion of the roadway open to traffic. All work was being conducted within a controlled and closed environment away from live traffic," she wrote. "Following the incident, some roadways were temporarily closed for first responders to gain access to the site, where six crew members were transported to the hospital for treatment and evaluation. No fatalities are reported at this time. The scene has since been cleared, and all travel lanes are now open. FDOT is working closely with the contractor to understand the details of this incident and the Department has mandated a project stand-down until internal reviews are conducted."
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