MIAMI — A scheduled overnight construction operation on the Interstate 395 bridge near downtown Miami went wrong late Friday, sending six construction workers plunging about 30 feet and prompting an extensive rescue effort, authorities said.
Miami Fire Rescue said crews were called to the site shortly after 10 p.m. after reports of a construction accident within the work zone. All six workers were rescued and transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center with serious injuries.
“They all have different types of injuries,” Miami Fire Rescue Lt. Pete Sanchez said. “They all fell or toppled over about 30 feet, so we’re talking about extensive bodily injuries — potential fractures to limbs and potential head injuries.”
Fire officials said the workers were performing construction formwork during a concrete pour when the incident occurred.
According to Sanchez, the workers were standing on a cap positioned atop a beam and pillar when they became stuck between metal bars and wooden materials before falling.
The Florida Department of Transportation said the incident did not involve the bridge structure itself or any portion of the roadway open to traffic.
MFR’s Technical Rescue Team used specialized equipment to reach and extricate the workers. A crane already on site was also used to assist with the rescue, officials said, allowing crews to quickly access one worker who was pinned on a platform.
Florida Highway Patrol, FDOT and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are jointly investigating the incident. FDOT said it has ordered a project stand-down until internal reviews are completed.
All lanes affected by the response have since reopened, authorities said.
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."
Copyright 2026 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.
